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I’m guessing you figured that Peanut Butter Love Week wouldn’t be complete without at least one cupcake recipe. I’ve whipped up an insanely rich and delicious cupcake recipe that is bursting with the peanut buttery goodness we all adore.
You’ve heard me reminisce about my father and brother and our mutual love of candy in several posts. Jared and I prefer our candy on the fruity side of the spectrum; Starbursts, Gummi Bears, and Hi-Chews. My dad is definitely more of the chocolate lover with a list of favorites that most certainly contain Reese Peanut Butter Cups, especially of the Easter egg variety. He claims they’re better than the traditional cups, and I must say that happen to wholeheartedly agree. Along with Snickers, he was and still is quite fond of placing (hiding) his Reese Easter Eggs in the freezer. He says they’re better frozen, I think he’s sneaky…little does he know everyone has been on to his game for a very long time.
I have made Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes before, but this time I they are so much better! The frosting had the perfect balance of sweet and salty and the baked in Mini Reese Cup was a little surprise of pure peanut butter bliss.
Just a fair warning to all you cake mix haters out there…I used my favorite doctored up cake mix for this recipe, but you can certainly use this as a framework and make adjustments according to whatever floats your boat.
Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes
- 1 (18.25 ounce) 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
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso granules dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
- 24 Reese’s Miniatures; frozen (this prevents them from disappearing into the batter)
For the Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1.5 pounds (24 ounces or about 5.5 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 6-8 tablespoons heavy cream (if using milk, amount will be less)
Directions:
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla and espresso water mixture. Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter per well.
- Press one frozen Reese’s Miniature into the center of each cupcake.
- Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. There will be a small sink hole in the top of the cupcakes from the Reese’s Miniatures, that’s okay - you’ll cover that with frosting. Allow cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 10 minutes.
- Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cupcakes are cool, prepare your frosting.
For the Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter on medium speed until fluffy. Turn your mixer down to low speed and slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar, and continue mixing until well blended.
- Add vanilla and 4 tablespoons of heavy cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 1 to 4 tablespoons of heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and finish with chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
Notes:
- Frosting was piped onto cupcakes using the large round tip.
- Cupcakes are best served the day they are made, but will store in a sealed container within the refrigerator for two days.
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This recipe looks fantastic, and I am thinking of making these for my little boy’s birthday party. I have a question though about the “dip” the leave on the top. I plan on using a poured fondant icing instead of a buttercream version. If I freeze the PB cups, then pour a bit of the batter, add the cup and cover with more batter will it still leave a “dip?” For the poured fondant I need a completely smooth, rounded top. Thanks so much for the idea, I can’t wait to read your response!
Jen-
I would recommend making a test batch before your son’s party. Sometimes I get the divot, other times I don’t – but your method may definitely help with the little dip. Let me know how it goes!
-Jamie
Yes, I will for sure make a test batch, especially since I have never made PF, or used it. So I will probably need practicing doing both. I plan on using your PF recipe, and adding color and peanut butter flavoring oil to make up for the lack of a pb buttercream topping. I will definetly let you know how the test batch turns out, just as soon as the oils I ordered are delivered. :-)
I love Reese’s peanut butter cups. So hard to find in Perth, finally got some and I NEED to make it! Anyway stupid question but would I still add the ingredients the cake mixes tell you to add? Or just the powder mix and add what you specified? Never cooked with cake mixes before. So very much a newbie!
I made these a couple of times and I love them! I found a muffin tin with 12 cups and in the middle is a long metal pin in the middle and instead of freezing the peanut butter cups( so they won’t fall to the bottom) you just push them on the pin in the middle then fill pan with the batter to cover candy and they stay right where you put them in the pan. They are made by Chicago Metalic…..
Oh My goodness!!! A-MAZING!! I cannot wait to try more of your recipes. Thank you!
I made these for my boyfriend’s birthday last year and am about to make them again this year. They were a hit! Thanks!
Aly-
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for stopping by and providing your feedback – have a great day!
-Jamie
looking forward to making these for my grandkids. hoping they love the pnut butter and choc. mixture!! thank you for posting, they look absolutely fabulous!
mary
Can u tell me a replacement for cake mix and instant pudding?something which can be prepared at home
Humaira-
I would simply substitute your favorite chocolate cake recipe for the cupcakes, then top with the frosting from this recipe. Thanks for stopping by.
Jamie
I made these tonight and they turned out amazing! I couldn’t find espresso powder so I just used regular instant coffee. My daughter promised to bring a cupcake to anyone at school who liked her Facebook status. One boy requested a cupcake with a peanut butter cup in the middle so these fit the bill perfectly. My family said these were better than any cupcake they had ever had I will definitely be making these again.
Awesome recipe, I may overdose on this frosting!!:)
If you use BC cake mix it already has pudding. are you suppose to use box pudding mix also. Sorry, just a little confused.
Angie-
Hi! Yes, still use the pudding, but I typically just use the smaller box. I hope this helps!
-Jamie