Week 28: Peanut Butter Surprises

One of Brett Jr's favorite foods is peanut butter.  He eats it with just about everything.  And he loves it even better when it's combined with chocolate.  So when I saw this recipe for peanut butter cupcakes with chocolate frosting, I knew I had to make them.

Brett's review: "Mmm...I'd like to eat these again someday."

My review: "Holy smokes, these are yummy!"

So you start with a super simple peanut butter cupcake dough (a yellow cake mix with peanut butter added to the list of usual ingredients).  Before popping it in the oven, you drop a Hershey's kiss on top of each cupcake like so:

After they've cooled, you top with a chocolate buttercream, and then chopped peanut butter cups:

The Hershey's kiss drops to the bottom of the cupcake and makes a lovely little chocolate surprise:

Lessons learned and recipe thoughts:

1. Super simple cupcake recipe.

2. A great one to make with kids (they can place the Hershey's kiss on top of each cupcake, and help decorate the tops with chopped peanut butter cups).

3. Did I mention this recipe is super simple and delicious?

Peanut Butter Surprises (from Cupcakes from the Cake Mix Doctor)

Makes 22-24 cupcakes

24 Hershey's Kisses
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (.75 ounce each)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside. Unwrap 24 Hershey's Kisses and set them aside.

2. 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 the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes longer, scraping down the sides again if necessary. The batter should be well blended. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two-thirds of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Gently place 1 Kiss on top of each cupcake. Do not press the Kiss into the batter. Place the pans in the oven. Meanwhile, place the Peanut Butter Cups in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

3. Bake the cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 min­utes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cup­cakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your finger­tips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the Chocolate Buttercream. Remove the Peanut Butter Cups from the freezer and coarsely chop them.

5. Place a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread it out with a short metal spatula or metal spoon, taking care to cover the tops. Garnish with chopped Peanut Butter Cups. The cupcakes are ready to serve.

Store these cupcakes in a cake saver or under a glass dome at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze them wrapped in aluminum foil or in a cake saver for up to 6 months. Thaw the cupcakes overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Chocolate Buttercream

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter; at room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups confectioners' sugar; sifted
3 to 5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the butter and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture is soft and well combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the confectioners sugar, 3 tablespoons of the milk, and the vanilla. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons more milk if the frost­ing is too stiff.