Oatmeal cream pie cupcakes

Can you believe a whole month has gone by? That means that it's time for another What's Baking challenge. This month's hostess is Sandra from She Cooks and Bakes, and the theme she has chosen is Back to School. We were asked to bake one of our favorite childhood dessert, but incorporating a modern twist to it. I am ashamed to admit that I was almost going to opt out of this month's challenge because all I could think about was ice cream (it was and still is one of my favorite childhood desserts), and since ice cream wasn't baked, I wouldn't have anything to contribute this month.

Then I remembered that I used to devour Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies like nobody's business. I'm pretty sure I bought a package of these every time we went to the grocery store, and I ate one every day for lunch. Come to think of it, there is a good possibility that I may have eaten these for breakfast too... Anyway, my modern twist on the oatmeal cream pie is that I made them into cupcakes. Since cupcakes are still popular, what better way to celebrate my old snacktime favorite than to turn them into cupcakes?

The texture of the cupcakes was almost spot-on. I know I haven't eaten a Little Debbie oatmeal cream pie in over 15 years, but I can distinctly remember the slightly chewy texture from the oatmeal. The frosting, in my opinion, was too sweet. Although I used the full recipe below, my frosting was too runny. I tried fixing it by adding more powdered sugar. And then balance out the sweetness, I added more salt. Unfortunately, the frosting was still too sugary.

Overall, the cupcakes were good and definitely had the taste of an oatmeal cream pie from my youth. If you make these, consider scaling back on the marshmallow fluff or look for another marshmallow buttercream recipe. This one is a tad too runny and sweet and could certainly use a bit of tweaking.

Oatmeal cream pie cupcakes

• 1 and 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup quick cooking rolled oats (I used regular oats)
• 1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
•  1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Marshmallow frosting

• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 and 1/2 ounces marshmallow fluff
• 3/4 cups shortening, butter flavor (I used unsalted butter as a substitute)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
To make the cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan with 12 paper liners and set aside.

In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, boil the water. Once the water has boiled, turn off the heat and remove the saucepan from the stove. Stir in the oats and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. 
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed.  

Add the eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until the mixture is uniform. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in the flour (dry) mixture. Mix until just incorporated - do not overmix.

Finally, add the oatmeal and mix until the oatmeal is just incorporated. You do not want to overmix the batter.

Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full and bake in your preheated oven for 16-20 minutes. Once cupcakes are done baking, turn off the oven, remove the cupcakes and allow them to cool on a wire rack before frosting.

To make the frosting: In a small bowl, mix the hot water with salt until salt is dissolved. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer, beat the marshmallow fluff with shortening/butter on medium speed until smooth. Turn the mixer down to low and gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer back to medium-high speed and continue to beat until the frosting looks light and fluffy. Add in the salt water mixture and continue beating until combined. 
Frost the cupcakes with the frosting once the cupcakes are cool. 

The cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.

Yield: 24 cupcakes (Note: I halved the cupcake recipe and got 10 cupcakes; I used the full frosting recipe though since the halved recipe was not enough to frost my 10 cupcakes)

Source: Did Someone Say Party?

Can you believe a whole month has gone by? That means that it's time for another What's Baking challenge. This month's hostess is Sandra from She Cooks and Bakes, and the theme she has chosen is Back to School. We were asked to bake one of our favorite childhood dessert, but incorporating a modern twist to it. I am ashamed to admit that I was almost going to opt out of this month's challenge because all I could think about was ice cream (it was and still is one of my favorite childhood desserts), and since ice cream wasn't baked, I wouldn't have anything to contribute this month.

Then I remembered that I used to devour Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies like nobody's business. I'm pretty sure I bought a package of these every time we went to the grocery store, and I ate one every day for lunch. Come to think of it, there is a good possibility that I may have eaten these for breakfast too... Anyway, my modern twist on the oatmeal cream pie is that I made them into cupcakes. Since cupcakes are still popular, what better way to celebrate my old snacktime favorite than to turn them into cupcakes?

The texture of the cupcakes was almost spot-on. I know I haven't eaten a Little Debbie oatmeal cream pie in over 15 years, but I can distinctly remember the slightly chewy texture from the oatmeal. The frosting, in my opinion, was too sweet. Although I used the full recipe below, my frosting was too runny. I tried fixing it by adding more powdered sugar. And then balance out the sweetness, I added more salt. Unfortunately, the frosting was still too sugary.

Overall, the cupcakes were good and definitely had the taste of an oatmeal cream pie from my youth. If you make these, consider scaling back on the marshmallow fluff or look for another marshmallow buttercream recipe. This one is a tad too runny and sweet and could certainly use a bit of tweaking.

Oatmeal cream pie cupcakes

• 1 and 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup quick cooking rolled oats (I used regular oats)
• 1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
•  1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Marshmallow frosting

• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 and 1/2 ounces marshmallow fluff
• 3/4 cups shortening, butter flavor (I used unsalted butter as a substitute)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
To make the cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan with 12 paper liners and set aside.

In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, boil the water. Once the water has boiled, turn off the heat and remove the saucepan from the stove. Stir in the oats and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. 
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed.  

Add the eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until the mixture is uniform. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in the flour (dry) mixture. Mix until just incorporated - do not overmix.

Finally, add the oatmeal and mix until the oatmeal is just incorporated. You do not want to overmix the batter.

Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full and bake in your preheated oven for 16-20 minutes. Once cupcakes are done baking, turn off the oven, remove the cupcakes and allow them to cool on a wire rack before frosting.

To make the frosting: In a small bowl, mix the hot water with salt until salt is dissolved. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer, beat the marshmallow fluff with shortening/butter on medium speed until smooth. Turn the mixer down to low and gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer back to medium-high speed and continue to beat until the frosting looks light and fluffy. Add in the salt water mixture and continue beating until combined. 
Frost the cupcakes with the frosting once the cupcakes are cool. 

The cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.

Yield: 24 cupcakes (Note: I halved the cupcake recipe and got 10 cupcakes; I used the full frosting recipe though since the halved recipe was not enough to frost my 10 cupcakes)

Source: Did Someone Say Party?