“Nothing Gold Can Stay” Vanilla Cookies and Cream Cupcake (modified)

"Nothing Gold Can Stay” Vanilla Cookies and Cream Cupcake (modified)

Vanilla Cupcake (makes about 15)

1/2and 3/8* cups cake flour, not self-rising


1/2 and 1/8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour


1 cups sugar


1/2 tablespoon baking powder


1/4 and 1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes


2 large eggs


1/2 cup whole milk


1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


15 golden cream-filled sandwich cookies twisted in half

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners and put half of a golden cream-filled sandwich cookie in the bottom of each liner; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.



[Modification from original]

Instead of adding the golden cream-filled sandwich cookies to the batter I:

1. put half of a full golden cream-filled sandwich cookie on the bottom of each liner
2. add 1 tablespoon of the vanilla batter on top of the cookie
3. place the other half of the full cookie on top of the batter
4. add 1 more tablespoon of vanilla batter on top of the cookie
5. bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

[modified] Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
(Makes enough for over 15 cupcakes)



1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature


1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar


1/4 cup milk


1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract



1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. Put frosting in a pastry bag and frost the top of the cupcake.

Thoughts on...

“Nothing Gold Can Stay” Vanilla Cookies and Cream Cupcakes:

Cupcake – The vanilla cupcake is still the best vanilla cupcake I've ever had. The texture is more consistent without the cookie crumbs and the full cookies in the inside are a nice surprise. The layers also look cool when the cupcake is bitten into.

Frosting – The perfect balance of butter and sugar. If you want the frosting sweeter you can add in more sugar. I added the sugar in ¼ cup at a time until I reached my desired flavor. This gave me more control than adding the sugar in all at once.

Overall Rating (1 – 10, 1 being “blech” and 10 being “YUUMMMMM!!!!”)

“Nothing Gold Can Stay” Vanilla Cookies and Cream Cupcake: 10

This is a big improvement from the original. It's also Greg's and Tabatha's favorite cupcake I've made so far. This one is a classic that you can make over and over again and not get sick of.