Cupcakes and Marshmallows

I was having much too much fun playing around with this month's SHF event. The theme for SHF #47 was ... duh, CUPCAKES! I wasn't quite sure what to make of the event, sometimes I can't think when I'm given a theme that's too narrow and allows for no creativity... but then other times I feel so overwhelmed with ideas that I find it difficult to pin-point exactly what I want to bake. My issue this SHF, was the latter. But thankfully, I figured it out in time for posting on September 26th... whew, cutting it close.

The flavor combination was a tricky one for me to churn out. I wanted something different, but also something that I knew my sisters would eat. And so, I settled on this...

Cookies & Cream Cupcakes with Strawberry-Marshmallow Buttercream

Cupcake Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1-2/3 cups sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup crushed oreo thinsations (or 10 oreo cookies)
- 1 recipe of Strawberry Marshmallow Buttercream (recipe follows)
- Pulsed/crumble praline pieces, to decorate

Method:
1. Set the oven to 350°F. Fill 24-muffin pan with with paper baking cups (or grease the pan).
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add in sugar.
3. Add in milk, butter and vanilla; beat with electric mixer at low speed 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the egg whites and beat for 2 minutes. Stir in the crushed cookies.
3. Pour batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely, on wire racks, before decorating.
4. Place 1/2 a large marshmallow on top of each cupcake.
5. Swirl the buttercream frosting ontop of each cupcakes; garnish with praline crumble.

Marshmallow Buttercream
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups butter, softened
2 cups marshmallow cream(7 oz tub)
1 tablespoon strawberry essence
1 teaspoon almond essence
1-1 1/2 teaspoon cream
2 2/3 cups confectioner's sugar

Method:
1. Combine butter and marshmallow creme till smooth.
2. Pour in liquid ingredients and continue to mix, until well blended.
3. Add in the confectioner's sugar and beat till smooth. (If frosting is too thick, add more cream)

I actually tried to decorate my first cupcake using one whole, large marshmallow. Low and behold, there was waaay to much frosting and the cupcake looked ridiculously hideous. So, I decided to cut the large marshmallow's into halves and only use 1/2 a marshmallow for each cupcake. I think the effect was much better. The frosting-peak was nice and tall, and didn't overpower the cupcake itself. Mmmm, looks delicious :P

I'd seen someone make a flower cupcake with marshmallow slices before, so I decided to make two of them. That's a chocolate flavored skittle lying in the middle (note the white "s") ain't it cute?!

For the list of the past SHF events, check out The Domestic Goddess