Cupcake Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup dark cocoa (Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (real)

1 cup boiling water

2 packages Berry Oreo’s (sold at Wal-Mart)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F.  Insert cupcake paper liners (grease proof if possible) in muffin pans.  Insert one Berry Oreo in the bottom of each liner.

2. Sift together in a large mixing bowl:  sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add milk, oil, eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in water.  (Batter will be thin.) Pour batter evenly into each cupcake liner on top of Oreo, about 3/4 way full.  The Oreo cookie will absorb some of the cupcake batter.  The Oreo will float to the top (that’s okay).  Push the Oreo to the center as much as possible and place in oven.

3. Bake 18-20 minutes but no longer.  Insert a toothpick in center to see if cupcakes are done.  If toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done.  If the Oreo leaks out of the cupcake batter, you’ve baked them too long.  If this happens, use a small knife to cut off the excess.  Once the cupcakes are iced, no one will know.  Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans to a wire rack and cool completely.

Frosting Ingredients:

 

3 sticks unsalted butter (cut in 1-inch cubes)

3 Tablespoons heavy cream

3 cups sifted confectioner sugar

2 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions for Frosting:

 

Beat butter, cream, vanilla and salt together in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy (1-2 minutes).

Reduce speed to medium and slowly add confectioner sugar and beat smooth (5-10 minutes).

Tint frosting pink.  Pipe frosting out on top cupcake, sprinkle with desired sprinkles (I used brown) and top each cupcake with 1/2 Berry Oreo cookie.

Cake recipe from cookbook “Easy Baking Hershey’s Cocoa,” 2004.