Peanut Butter Surprise Cupcakes

This is a new recipe that I tried (from Cupcakes! from the Cake Mix Doctor). I made them for my daughter's birthday and they were a HUGE hit! WARNING: They are VERY rich. You cannot eat more than one. (Although my 40 pound 8 year did.) But I could not eat more than one.



24 paper liners for cupcake pans
24 Hershey's Kisses
1 yellow cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
8 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (.75 oz each)
chocolate buttercream frosting

Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside. Unwrap 24 Hershey's Kisses and set them aside.

Place the cake mix, water, peanut butter, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until blended, 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes longer. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter into each lined cup. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove any empty liners.) Gently place 1 Kiss on top of each cupcake. Do not press the Kiss into the batter. Place the pans in the oven. Place the Peanut Butter cups in the freezer for at leastr 30 minutes.

Bake until the cupcakes are golden and spring back when lightly touched, 18-20 minutes. Remove pans from oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool on wire rack for 15 minutes before frosting.

Prepare frosting (see below). Remove the Peanut Butter cups from freezer and coarsely chop them. Place a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and spread. Garnish with chopped Peanut Butter Cups. (Can store at room temp for 3 days or in fridge for 1 week.)

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 stick butter, at room temp
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups cofectioners' sugar, sifted
3-5 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Place the butter and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low speed until mixture is soft and combined. Stop machine and add confectioners' sugar, 3 Tbsp milk and vanilla. Blend with mixer on low speed until the sugar in incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffly. Add 1-2 Tbsp more milk if frosting is too stiff.