St. Patricks's Day: Mint Oreo Cupcakes w/ Mint Buttercream Icing

Cupcakes 
1/2 cup butter - room temperature
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour
     plus 2 Tbsp for the Oreo chunks
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites - room temperature
1 pkg mint Oreo cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350F and insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.
2. Twist apart 24 Oreos and place filling side up in the bottom of each paper liner.
• Cut other cookies in half, and save 24 halves to place in frosting.
• Crush the other cookie halves, also for garnishing.
3. Cut the remaining Oreos into quarters with a sharp knife, then toss with 2 Tbsp of flour and set aside.
4. In a large bowl cream the butter until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and mix to combine.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt
6. Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until integrated
• stir in sugar, then beat on low speed for 30 seconds.
• Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes.
• Add the egg whites and beat for 2 more minutes.
• Stir in the quartered cookies.
7. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 cull and bake for 20 minutes, then cool cupcakes in the pan.

Icing
1 cup + 2 Tbsp butter - room temperature
5 1/2 cup icing sugar - sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 to 1 tsp mint extract (it depends on how strong you want the flavor)
2 - 4 Tbsp milk
Green food coloring

1. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and 1/2 cup of the icing sugar together until well combined.
2. Continue adding the icing sugar to the butter mixture 1/2 cup at a time.
3. Once the buttercream mixture starts to get stiff, add the vanilla and mint extracts, and 2 Tbsp of the milk.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all of the icing sugar is incorporated into the butter mixture.
• you may want to add in more milk 1 Tbsp at a time until you reach a desired consistency.