Basic Chocolate Recipe

¾ cups of cocoa powder

1 ½ cups flour

1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ tsp baking soda

¾ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp salt

2 eggs

¾ cup buttermilk (or heavy cream – I’ve used each)

3 tbsp vegetable oil (also can substitute applesauce)

2 tsp vanilla

¾ cup water

Mix the dry ingredients (cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt). In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk vegetable oil and vanilla.  Gradually alternate adding the dry ingredients and the water to the wet ingredients. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.

Crust: Crush 13 Oreos and mix with 2 Tbsp of melted butter. Press 1 Tbsp of the mixture into the bottom of the cupcake cups and bake at 350 for 5 minutes.

Fill the cupcakes with my basic chocolate and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. Cool.

Oreo filling: ½ cup of butter, 2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 tsp of vanilla.

Fill the cooled cupcakes with the cream filling by filling a piping bag with the filling. Using a star tip, push the tip into the cupcake and squeeze until the cupcake seems to swell a little and the filling barely overflows out of the cupcake.

Frosting (this is one of my absolute favorites!): Mix 8 oz (1 brick) of cream cheese, ¼ cup butter, 3-4 cups of powdered sugar, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract until smooth. Fold in ¾ cups of crushed Oreos.