Peanut Butter Filled Vanilla Cupcakes with Cookies & Cream Buttercream

Wow, it certainly has been far too long since my last post!  I just want to apologize for my lack of updates!  Exactly 5 days from today I will officially be done with nursing school!  After that you can expect many more posts, since I will have lots more free time.  Let me make up for my absence with a phenomenal cupcake.  Cupcakes, peanut butter, and Oreos???  Trust me this can't go wrong.   


Cake:
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 box french vanilla cake mix


Peanut Butter Filling:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 T half & half

Frosting:
1 cup butter
Oreo creams from separated cookies (entire package)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
4 T half & half
1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs sifted



1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2.  In a large bowl, whisk together water, buttermilk, oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
3.  Add eggs, one at a time, whisking to combine after each addition.
4.  Slowly add the french vanilla cake mix while stirring.
5.  Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full, and bake for 13-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7.  Place cupcakes on wire rack to cool completely.
8.  While cupcakes cool, cream all filling ingredients together until well combined and set aside.
9.  After cupcakes are cooled, using an apple corer, remove center of cupcake and fill with peanut butter filling.
10.  To make frosting:  beat together butter and Oreo cream centers; add vanilla, powdered sugar, and half and half; add sifted Oreo cookie crumbs and beat just until combined.
11.  Pipe frosting onto cooled, filled cupcakes.