Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

Hi again!

I made cupcakes!

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes!!

My highschool bestie loves them, and I have been promising her the recipe. (Hiya Miss!)  

It just so happens, these cupcakes were for her middle son’s 5th birthday….along with 2 dozen pumpkin spice, 2 dozen chocolate/vanilla, and 2 dozen sprinkle cupcakes….it wasn’t a big party or anything!!!  Ha! 

We live about an hour and a half apart now, so I was a little anxious about getting all of the cupcakes to the party safely….I mean, one hard brake on the highway and I could have had a tasty buffet on my front windshield! 

I drove very gently for 10 miles before traffic came to a complete halt….yup SHUT DOWN…..COMPLETELY!!! 

So, I really shouldn’t have been worried about them looking nice, considering now I had to figure out how to even get them to the party. 

Traffic ended up being  detoured off of an exit ramp and onto a few country backroads….very scenic and calming, which was good; considering I was ready to burst into tears!  (Ok…that is a total lie….it was scenic, but not calming!)  If I thought I could get away with driving past the mile-long-line of cars on the shoulder without infuriating the other drivers, I totally would have!  But, I just stayed in line and made my 25 m.p.h. way up the road……atleast I was moving, and THAT is what kept the tears at bay!

I was also afraid to run the heat, because I didn’t want the frosting on the cupcakes to get too soft.  It was F. R. E. E. Z. I. N. G. !!! 

 The trip ended up being about an hour and a half longer than normal.  I got to the party about 5 minutes before it started…..and the cupcakes made it just fine!

Whew!!

Baking them was by far the easiest part of the whole adventure!! 

If you use a chocolate cake mix, they are super easy to make.  But,  if you have a homemade chocolate cake recipe that you love; definitely use it! ( I will post my favorite chocolate cake recipe soon!) 🙂

Unwrap and freeze the peanut butter cups first!

Put about 2 tablespoons of cake batter into a cupcake liner and then stack two Reese’s Cups into the center….

Top them with another tablespoon of batter.

Bake!

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Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

     For the cupcakes

• 1 box Milk Chocolate Cake mix, and the ingredients to prepare
• 24 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures, unwrapped and frozen (keeps them from melting into cupcake)

– Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place cupcake liners into the  muffin/cupcake pans and set aside.

– Prepare cake batter according to directions on the box.

–  Put 2 Tbsp. of batter into each liner.

– Stack 2 peanut butter cups into the batter of each liner. 

– Put additional 1 Tbsp. of batter onto the stacked peanut butter cups. 

–  Bake about 14-16 minutes, or until the middle of the cakes are set. (I press them with my fingers, if they bounce back; they are done.)

–  Cool completely.

     For the peanut butter frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s Special Dark)
• 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, or milk

–  In a large bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter.

–  On low-speed, add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.

–  Mix in marshmallow fluff. 

–  As the mixture thickens, slowly (1 Tbsp. at a time) add the whipping cream or milk until the frosting is smooth. (You may need more or less than the 1/4 cup depending on humidity and oil base of your peanut butter, so go slow and test the consistency often.)

–  Increase speed as all of the ingredients combine and whip until fluffy.

–  Spread onto cooled cupcakes, or use a decorating bag and tip. 

*  I also topped each cupcake with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Mini. (Different than a miniature.)

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It was pretty cool listening to people trying to figure out how I got the peanut butter cups inside!! 

Most everyone thought they would melt if I had baked them, so I must have cut the cupcakes and filled them after they were baked!

The secret’s out!!

Enjoy!!

Love, Lara