Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Chocolate and peanut butter have one of those relationships that just make all kinds of sense.

Like, sock and shoes...

Nuts and bolts...

Biscuits and gravy....

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries...Wait, What?

Just making sure your paying attention. By the way, wasn't that ginormous mistake blatantly obvious early on? I don't even watch the show but, just by catching a few clips on The Soup, even I thought, "Wow. Do they have their heads up their butts because it is clear their pairing is as awkward as a cow on a crutch."

Thank goodness there is nothing awkward about the partnership of chocolate and peanut butter. Remember those great 80's Reese's Cups commercials where someone got their chocolate in someone else's peanut butter? They really sum up the chocolate/peanut butter paradigm perfectly.

These cupcakes are pretty awesome. What makes them even more special is the surprise in the middle.

Each one has a Reese's Cup center. It makes a great statement in the middle of that tasty chocolate cupcake. 

They are topped with the BEST peanut butter frosting in the world and adorned with a Reese's Cup Mini. (Have you seen these yet? They are even smaller that the Reese's Miniatures and come unwrapped. They are super cute.)

"Just relaxin' on a bed of fluffy peanut butter frosting."

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 boxed Devil's Food cake mix, prepared to a batter

3/4 Cup mini chocolate chips 

24 Reese's Miniatures, unwrapped

Peanut Butter Frosting: (Recipe from Wilton)*

1/3 Cup vegetable shortening

1/3 Cup butter

3/4 Cup peanut butter

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 Cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

4-6 Tablespoons milk

24 Reese's Cup Minis

Directions:

-Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Stir in the chocolate chips.

-Line cupcake pans with liners. Fill each cup 2/3 full of batter. Place a Reese's Miniature in each cup on top of the batter. No need to press down. The cake will bake up around it.

-Bake for 20-25 minutes until done. (Usually you can use a toothpick to tell when cupcakes are done. Insert it into the middle and if it's clean when it comes out, they are done. In this case, you are going to have some Reese's Cup on the toothpick. If you can decipher between batter and melted chocolate you will be fine. Otherwise, if you press on the cupcake and it springs back, they are done.) Totally cool before icing. 

Frosting Directions:

-Using an electric mixer, cream shortening and butter. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. [Unless you have this!] 

-If icing gets too dry and stiff to beat, add a tablespoon of milk. Once all sugar is incorporated, add the remaining milk if necessary then beat until fluffy, about one minute. (You don't want the icing too thin or it will not stand up on the cupcakes. Lift the beaters or paddle of your mixer and if the icing doesn't fall right away you are good to go.)

-Frost cupcakes and top each one with a Reese's Cup Mini. 

Make these for your loved ones and I guarantee you will be their favorite person for life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 *This recipe from Wilton frosts about 12 cupcakes. I doubled what is here and it frosted exactly 24.