I recently posted this delicious Oreo cake recipe and had to circle back with a cupcake version because YUM. I paid every bit of attention to detail with this Oreo cupcake recipe. It starts with black velvet cupcakes that are made with black cocoa powder – the same ingredient responsible for the color and flavor of Oreo cookie shells. Then the cupcakes are topped with cookies and cream buttercream that’s speckled with Oreo cookie crumbs. Together this combo is Oreo heaven and the perfect easy recipe for your next gathering!
Oreo Cupcake Ingredients & Substitutions
These cupcakes are extra soft and moist with the perfect Oreo flavor thanks to black cocoa powder in the cupcakes + cookie crumbs in the buttercream. Here are some of the key ingredients and substitutions you can make:
- Black Cocoa Powder. Adds a deep black color and the most authentic Oreo flavor to these cupcakes. If you don’t have it on hand, it’s easy to find on Amazon OR you can use an equal amount of Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder or any Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead. Either of those should be easy to find at your local grocery store.
- All Purpose Flour. Otherwise known as plain flour, this creates gluten and helps build structure for the cupcakes. I know that most of my other cupcake recipes call for cake flour, but I like to use all-purpose flour for my chocolate based cupcakes. It yields the best texture.
- Granulated Sugar. Not only sweetens the cupcakes but helps soften the overall texture.
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder. The leavening agents that give the cupcakes rise.
- Vegetable Oil. Provides a good amount of moisture. I like to use plain vegetable oil, but you can use any clear cooking oil that you prefer for baking.
- Large Egg. To bind all of the ingredients together and give the cupcake structure.
- Pure Vanilla Extract. Adds dimension to the Oreo flavor.
- Full-Fat Buttermilk. Provides tons of moisture while binding the ingredients together. If you don’t have buttermilk on-hand, see the notes section of the recipe card for an easy DIY version using whole milk + vinegar or lemon juice!
- Hot Coffee. This helps bring all of the ingredients together into a cohesive batter at the end of the recipe, and the heat of the coffee blooms the cocoa powder to bring out the beautiful chocolate notes. You won’t end up tasting coffee in the final baked cupcakes, but if you’d rather not use coffee, you can use an equal amount of hot water instead. And if you’re using instant coffee or espresso powder, just follow the instructions on the container to make 1/2 Cup (4oz) of coffee. It’s usually 1/2 teaspoon per 4 oz of water.
- Oreo Cookies. It wouldn’t be Oreo cupcakes without these! I grind Oreo cookies into fine crumbs and fold them into the buttercream for topping each cupcake.
Making The Perfect Oreo Buttercream
This recipe starts by making my favorite vanilla buttercream recipe, then grinding Oreo cookies into fine crumbs and mixing them in until you have a beautifully speckled buttercream! The flavor and texture are out of this world. The vanilla buttercream essentially becomes the cream filling element for the Oreo cookie crumbs and it’s so easy to work with as a frosting!
My one bit of advice is to grind those cookie crumbs very finely with a food processor for piping swirls on top of the cupcakes. If you have any large cookie bits in the buttercream, they could end up clogging the piping tip and make things frustrating! If this happens, you can usually dig the piece out with a toothpick, but save yourself the stress and grind those crumbs as small as you can.
Oreo Cupcake FAQ’s
What is Black Cocoa Powder? Black cocoa powder is an ultra-Dutched cocoa powder, meaning it’s been treated with an alkaline solution to reduce its acidity. It’s very dark in color and while it isn’t as chocolatey as regular cocoa powder, it does have amazing flavor. It’s the main ingredient in Oreo cookie shells, and that’s basically what the cupcakes end up tasting like. And it gives the cupcakes a rich black color just like Oreo cookie shells!
Where do I Find Black Cocoa Powder? You probably won’t be able to buy black cocoa powder at your local grocery store, but you might have some luck at a dedicated cake decorating supply shop. There aren’t many of those around me, so I get my black cocoa powder on Amazon. This brand is the darkest black cocoa powder I’ve found, and it makes a huge difference in the final results of the buttercream specifically. Other black cocoa powders aren’t as Dutched, but any brand will work in this recipe (see the recipe notes for more info on that).
Do I Have to Use Coffee in the Cupcake Recipe? No. The coffee helps amplify the chocolate flavor in this recipe really well, and you won’t taste the coffee in the final baked cupcakes. But if you don’t want to use coffee, you can use an equal amount of hot water instead.
Can I Double this Recipe? Yes, absolutely! A double batch will make 28-30 cupcakes.
What if I Don’t Have a Food Processor for the Buttercream? As an alternative to a food processor, you can place the Oreo cookies in a Ziploc bag and grind them down with a rolling pin. It’s a little more time consuming but it works.
More Oreo Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
If you love Oreos as much as I do, you’ll want to add these recipes to your baking list:
- Oreo Layer Cake
- Easy Oreo Icebox Cake
- No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake
- 4-Ingredient Oreo Truffles
- Vegan Chocolate Oreo Cake
- Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake (with Mint Oreos!)
I hope you love these Oreo cupcakes as much as I do! Let me know if you make it in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me a photo. I love to see what you create with my recipes!
Oreo Cupcakes
Ingredients
Black Velvet Cupcakes
- 1 Cup (132g) all purpose flour
- 3/4 Cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 Cup (38g) black cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 Cup (60ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 Cup (120ml) full-fat buttermilk*, room temperature DIY recipe in notes
- 1/2 Cup (120ml) hot coffee or hot water
Cookies & Cream Buttercream
- 9 Oreo cookies (96g)
- 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 Cups (360g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
- pinch of salt, or to taste
Garnish (optional)
- crushed Oreo cookies
Instructions
Make the Black Velvet Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF/177ºC and line a cupcake pan with 12-15 liners.
- Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix on low until just combined. With the mixer still on low, add the hot water in a slow stream, then turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake liners (no more than ⅔ full) and bake for 15-18 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool completely before frosting.
Make the Oreo Buttercream
- Place the Oreo cookies into a food processor and grind them into fine crumbs. It's important to get the crumbs as small as possible without over-grinding (which can turn them into an Oreo paste).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a large bowl and hand mixer), cream the butter on medium-high speed until it's creamy and pale in color, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed.
- Add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, mixing on low speed and scraping down bowl and paddle in between intervals. Keep the mixer on low speed and add the vanilla, milk, and salt. Mix until fully incorporated and uniform, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed.
- Mix in the Oreo cookie crumbs on low speed until uniform and well-dispersed.
Assembly
- Once the black velvet cupcakes are completely cooled, frost them with the Oreo buttercream. To create the look pictured, place the Oreo buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 1M and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake. Top with crushed Oreo cookies.
Notes
- The black velvet cupcakes can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, they can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.
- The Oreo buttercream recipe can be made ahead through step 3, then store the cookie crumbs and buttercream in separate airtight containers for up to 2 weeks (store the buttercream in the refrigerator). When you’re ready to use the buttercream, bring it to room temperature and re-mix with your stand mixer on low speed until smooth. Then, mix in the cookie crumbs.
Can I use cake flour instead?
Hi Michele! I wouldn’t use cake flour for these because the cocoa powder already has a lot of softening qualities and the result wouldn’t be structured enough. All-purpose flour is what I recommend for the best soft/moist texture. Hope that helps!
Thank you!
Wow, these are so moist and light. My new go-to chocolate cupcake recipe. I see what you mean by only pour in 2/3 of the mixture, these things really rise. I used Dutch cocoa powder instead of black as I had some, and the black cocoa powder is EXTREMELY expensive. With the icing, I only used 2 1/2 cups of icing sugar as I didn’t want it too sweet. Thanks for the recipe
Yay, Clare! I’m so happy you love this recipe!
Hello,
If I make just the cupcake in advance (not frosted) how long can I keep them in the refrigerator?
Janice
Hi Janice! I like to store unfrosted cupcakes at room temperature, usually in the cupcake pan with plastic wrap over the top. They keep really well this way for up to 2 days. Unfrosted cupcakes tend to dry out in the refrigerator, which is why I like to keep them at room temp. Hope that helps!