First, can I just say that I bought a big bag of Reese's to make these, and slowly, the bag got smaller and smaller and smaller. Word to fellow chocoholics: do not buy Reese's too far in advance. Unless you have willpower, which we clearly do not.
I saw these ages ago on Good Things Utah, and have adapted the recipe slightly over the years (the original is a Wendy Paul recipe). Since we were severely short on PB cups (I wonder why?), and I realized I had no normal size cupcake liners (it's too darn cold to go to the store just for cupcake liners), we went with mini cupcakes:)
Adaptability, people, adaptability.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
1 box chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1 c. milk
1 bag chocolate peanut butter cups
Mix eggs, milk, and cake mix. Add 1 tbsp. batter into each liner, add a PB cup, and add another 1-2 tbsp. of batter (filling to about 3/4 full). Bake 15-18 minutes.
*Since I made mini cupcakes, I was adding a LOT to each liner. I opted to cut the PB cups into smaller pieces, and of course, filled liners with less batter.
I've also learned that bagged Reese's and the double packs you buy in the checkout lane are larger than the 8 or 10-packs you can buy in the bulk candy aisle/dollar store. If you're making regular cupcakes, the 8 or 10-pack Reese's are actually the perfect size! Not too big, not too small! I've never tried mini PB cups since I like the fact that the cups are evenly distributed amongst the cupcake, and you can only get that when you use the big, flat variety:)
Chocolate Frosting
(Mike is the frosting maker around here. This is his job. He uses the recipe from the 'ol "picnic" cookbook most people get for their wedding.)
3/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
8.5 cups powdered sugar (about 2 pounds)
1/4 c. milk
Beat butter until smooth. Add cocoa powder and some powdered sugar. Beat slowly. Gradually add powdered sugar and milk until frosting reaches desired consistency.
Peanut Butter Topping
Add about 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter to a ziplock bag and warm slowly in microwave. Cut off tip and drizzle melted PB over cupcakes.
