Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Chocolate and Peanut Butter.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate.

Has there ever two flavors that go together as well as these two do?

Ever since I tried the recipe for the Snickers cupcakes, I've had all sorts of ideas for how to stuff other candy bars into my cupcakes and when I saw a post for peanut butter cup cupcakes over at My Baking Addiction I was so excited. It was as if she was inside my head...I've also been thinking about doing this and now I had no excuse except to try it out for myself!

Caleb enjoying the frosting!

The result was amazing!

These cupcakes were delicious and the little peanut butter cup baked into the middle is a great little peanut-buttery surprise. My son especially loved the frosting...I found him licking it off with a big smile on his face and then digging out the peanut butter cup to snack on! I hope that you enjoy them.

(The cupcake batter is the same doctored-up box mix from the Snickers cupcakes, just updated for the Peanut Butter Cups, but the frosting is new and peanut-buttery deliciousness!)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
Inspired by My Baking Addiction

Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients for the cupcakes:
1 package devil’s food cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs; lightly beaten
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon of vanilla
24 frozen Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (must be frozen!)

Instructions for cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line (2) 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners.
3. In stand mixer, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, vanilla and water.
4. Evenly divide the batter amongst the prepared pans.
5. Gently push a frozen mini peanut butter cup into the center of the batter and smooth the surface making sure to cover the candy bar with batter.
6. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Cool cupcakes thoroughly on wire rack.

Ingredients for the frosting:
3 sticks of unsalted butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 lbs powdered sugar
4 tablespoons milk

Instructions for the frosting:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and peanut butter on medium speed until fluffy. (About 2 minutes)
2. Slowly add your powdered sugar, thoroughly mixing after each addition.
3. Add vanilla and 4 tablespoons of milk (use more or less milk depending on what consistency you like). Blend on low speed until moistened.
4. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy.
5. Put frosting onto cooled cupcakes and garnish as desired. I used the giant French pastry tip from Bake it Pretty and added 1/2 of a mini peanut butter cup to decorate.

Cupcakes will last for 2 days in a well secured container in the refrigerator. Any longer and they will start to get stale.

Cupcakes...they seem to be all around me lately! Every new recipe that I come up with seems to be centered around them...but don't worry, this will be my last post about them for awhile. I'm ready to try some new stuff! (And so are my friends and family's waistbands!)

Ps. Don't forget to enter my iTunes giveaway! It ends Sunday, April 17th.

I am linking this recipe up to: Fireflies & Jelly Beans, Transformation Thursdays, It's a Keeper Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Social Parade, Hodgepodge Friday, Friday Favorites, Feature Yourself Friday, Foodie Friday, La Bella Vita, Show and Tell Saturday, Tatertots and Jello, Saturday Night Special,Meatless Mondays, Masterpiece Monday, Homemaker Monday, Strut Your Stuff, Motivate Me Monday, Just Something I Whipped Up, Made By You Mondays, Recipe Swap Sundays,Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Cupcake Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday's At The Table, Tip Me Tuesday, Get Your Craft On, Sweet Peas & Bumblebees, Whatever Goes Wednesdays,