Reese’s Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cupcakes
By: Mindika Thiebaud

Cupcakes:
8oz ( about 1 cup) cream cheese, softened
2 egg whites
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
1 cup water
24 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, wrapping removed

12 additional mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, wrapping removed, and sliced in half (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line (2) 12 count muffin tins with paper liners, and spray with non-stick Baking Pam Spray.

In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using an electric mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy.

Add the cake mix and water and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Fill the muffin cups about ¾ full. Place 1 mini Reese Peanut Butter Cup on top of the batter. Do not put the cup down into the batter, just set it on top, but make sure it’s centered!

Bake about 20 minutes. The Reese’s will settle down into the cupcake as they bake. If it leaves a little of a crater or divot don’t worry, you will be topping with frosting anyway!

Remove from oven and let cool slightly in the tin, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

When cool, frost with Chocolate Peanut Butter frosting. Then top each cupcake with a mini peanut butter cup sliced in half.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting:
1 cup smooth peanut butter
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
Up to about ¼ cup milk (to smooth out frosting to your liking!)

Beat the peanut butter and butter with a mixer until smooth.

Add the cocoa powder and mix well.

Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until desired consistency. Drizzle in milk until the frosting is as smooth as you want it. Put the frosting in a large Ziploc bag, press out any air, and push it to one corner. Seal bag and cut tip of bag. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Top each cupcake with a mini Reese’s Cup (cut in half).

Makes 24 cupcakes
5 out of 5 stars (but make sure you have a cup of milk handy to wash it down!)…
Easy to make…peanut butter with a touch of chocolate! If you want to skip the frosting listed in this recipe I think it would still taste yummy with a cream cheese frosting, or even a white frosting!