Lisa Leal Bruton
INGREDIENTS-
Cupcake Base:
* 18.3 ounces chewy fudge brownie mix
* ½ cup vegetable oil
* ¼ cup water
* 2 large eggs, room temperature and beaten
* 24 full-size Reese’s peanut butter cups, unwrapped or 24 miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups
Peanut Butter Frosting:
* 1¼ cups creamy peanut butter
* ¾ cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
* 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 2¼ cups powdered sugar
* 3 to 5 tablespoons whole milk
* 1½ cups Reese’s minis unwrapped, optional garnish
INSTRUCTIONS-
* Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 standard-size muffin pans with cupcake liners. Light spray the liners with nonstick spray. Set them aside.
* Add the brownie mix to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
* Add in the oil, water, and the beaten eggs. Stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
* Place 1 peanut butter cup in the bottom of each cupcake liner.
* Spoon 1½ tablespoons of the brownie mix on top of the peanut butter cup.
* Bake for 20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
* Using either a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the butter, peanut butter, and vanilla extract for 1½ to 2 minutes, until smooth.
* Add the powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, alternating with the milk until completely incorporated and smooth.
* Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, fill a decorator’s bag or piping bag fitted with an open star tip or a gallon-size Ziploc with a corner snipped off with frosting.
* To frost the cupcakes, hold the decorator’s bag about ½ inch from the center surface of the cupcake. Use even pressure, and squeeze to form the center of the star-swirl. Keeping the tip elevated and using the same pressure, follow the outer line of the star-swirl, making a C shape around the star-swirl until the outer swirl lines connect. Repeat for the remaining cupcakes.
* Sprinkle a few of Reese’s mini unwrapped candies over the frosted cupcakes.
**NOTES
* Do not over mix the batter once you have added all of the ingredients together. This can make tough cupcakes.
* Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your cupcakes as the suggested baking time approaches.
* The mini cups can be cut in half when decorating the top of the peanut butter Reese’s cupcakes.