Wicked Wednesday Wrecipes

And now, a little bit of sinfulness, from Food & Wine, via Cookie Madness:

Chocolate Cupcakes

• 4 TBSP butter
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup water
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup plus 2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 365 degrees (between 350 and 375 degrees)

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with papers.

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter with the vegetable oil and water over low heat, just until the butter melts. Do not boil!

In a large bowl, sift flour with sugar, cocoa, baking soda & salt. Add the melted butter mixture and beat with mixer at low speed until smooth. Add egg and beat until incorporated, then add buttermilk and vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping bottom & sides of bowl.

Pour the batter into the lined muffin tins, filling them three fourths full. (I actually got 14 cupcakes).

Look how crowned these are! That's because of the slightly higher baking temperature.

Bake the cupcakes for 25 minutes, until springy and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Crème Frosting

• 6 TBSP butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 2 TBSP milk, ½ + ½, or heavy cream
• 5 Oreos, crushed in food processor, for topping

In a medium bowl, cream softened butter until smooth with mixer.

Add confectioners sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat at low speed just until combined, then increase speed to medium and beat until smooth. Add milk or cream and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. This makes just enough for the 14 cupcakes.

Spread (or pipe) frosting on cooled cupcakes, top with crushed Oreos and serve.

Yummy!