Triple Chocolate Oreo Fudge Cupcakes

Does life really get any better than that? And who knew I could create such exquisite looking deliciousness?

Dark chocolate cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting, Oreos and chocolate chips. Chocolate lovers take note!

I made these cupcakes for the bake sale we had a church on Sunday to raise money for our kids in the Congo. We are trying to raise $7,500 to send all 58 of them to school this year. Luckily, with the bake sale funds, we are almost there!

Oh yeah, I also made some with Oreo frosting 🙂

It’s SO important that these kids get an education because it makes such a difference in helping them learn about the world, develop dreams and ultimately become leaders in their nation — a nation which desperately needs good, principled men and women!

I believe God has a special plan for the children of CCC. They are prayed over and beloved and I just know that they will do something great! Since I’ve been reading “Orphanology,” I’ve come to believe so much more how much LOVE God has for orphans (and in turn how much responsibility we have as Christians to love them!)

*I always make my cupcakes the night before and do frosting the next day because it’s so hard to wait for them to cool to frost and you don’t want to do it early!

• 1 stick Butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 C. Sugar
• 2 Eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 C. Flour
• 1 t. Baking Powder
• 1/4 t. Salt
• 1/2 C. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 C. Whole Milk
• 1 t. Vanilla

Method: Preheat oven to 350.

1. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until it is soft, then add sugar. Beat about 3 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time beating until they are well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk them to incorporate them.
4. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar and beat it just to combine. Add 1/2 of the liquids (milk & vanilla), scrape down bowl and beat to combine. Continue adding the dry and wet ingredients alternately making sure you end with the dry.
5. Fill muffin tins 2/3’s of the way and bake for about 20-22 minutes. Allow to cool, then frost.
6. OPTIONAL: Cut circular chunk out of the top of the brownie and fill with crushed Oreos. When you put the frosting on, it will sink it. Just adds more Oreo deliciousness!

FROSTING BELOW PHOTO!

Chocolate Frosting
*This is a double batch recipe because you NEED it if you want plenty of frosting to make it look pretty like I did!

• 1 cup butter
•  2 (2 ounces) squares unsweetened chocolate
•  2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1 1/2 cup milk

1. Melt chocolate and butter in the microwave, or in the top of a double boiler. In a large bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and 1/2 cup of the milk. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture. Add remaining milk, a little at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
2. Let stand until spreadable (frosting will thicken as it cools). 
3. Use a piping bag with a fancy tip to swirl it on there pretty. Garnish with Oreo. Add mini chocolate chips.

Oreo Frosting
*This is a single batch because I did half as much as the chocolate but by all means, double it if you want to do more Oreos than chocolate. 

1. In a large bowl, with a hand or stand mixer, cream together sugar and butter on low speed. Mix until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
2. Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for desired spreading/piping consistency. Add the cookie crumbles and mix just until combined.
3. Scoop into a piping bag with a wide tip and pipe decoratively onto cupcakes, or spread onto cupcakes as desired. Garnish with a whole Oreo cookie and mini-chocolate chips.

Me,  Ricky, Ashleigh — bake salers for #Congo!