Penguin Cupcakes Made with Oreos Recipe
Delightfully whimsical Penguin Cupcakes made with a moist, tender cake base flavored with vanilla and buttermilk, decorated with Oreo cookies and colorful candies to create adorable penguin faces. Perfect for themed parties or fun desserts that combine classic flavors and playful decoration.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- A pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
Decoration Ingredients
- Oreo cookies (some whole, some for crushing)
- Marshmallow fluff for frosting
- Chocolate chips or small candies for eyes
- Orange candies (like Starbursts) for the beaks
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) ensuring it reaches the correct temperature before baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together to evenly distribute all ingredients.
- Beat Butter and Eggs: In a separate bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition to create a smooth mixture.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Combine: Mix in the sour cream, canola or vegetable oil, and vanilla extract with the butter and egg mixture. Then alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and buttermilk in portions, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fill Muffin Tins and Bake: Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Fill each liner about two-thirds full with batter. Place into preheated oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Prepare Decorations: Once cupcakes are baked and cooled, carefully split Oreo cookies, keeping the cream side intact to resemble wings. Use marshmallow fluff as ‘glue’ to attach Oreo wings and chocolate chips or small candies for eyes on each cupcake.
- Create Beaks: Microwave an orange candy for a few seconds to soften, then shape it into a small triangle to mimic a penguin’s beak. Attach the beak to the cupcake with marshmallow fluff. Let the cupcakes set before serving.
Notes
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for the best batter texture and rise.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep cupcakes light and fluffy.
- Be careful when microwaving orange candies to prevent melting them too much; just soften enough to shape.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before decorating to prevent melting or sliding of decorations.
- Use gentle handling when splitting Oreos to keep the cream intact for the wing effect.
Keywords: penguin cupcakes, Oreo cupcakes, kids dessert, fun cupcakes, themed cupcakes, baked cupcakes, party dessert
