Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

These cupcakes are AMAZING and the frosting is DIVINE!!  I made them for my 30 birthday party and they were a huge hit. I had to get the remaining cupcakes out of my house before I ate them all.

In addition to the ingredients below, you will need several Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I bought two packs of the snack size which include about 14 cups per package.

I dropped the PB cup in the bottom of the cupcake liner and then placed the batter on top.
Normally, this recipe makes 24 cupcakes but with the PB cup taking up half of the liner, it should make 40-45 cupcakes.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1¾ cups cake flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
• 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1¾ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ¾ cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line 2 standard muffin tin pans with paper liners, set aside.
2. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt into a medium-sized bowl.  Whisk together until well combined, set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
4. Reduce to low-medium speed and add the eggs one-at-a-time, and beat until well combined after each addition, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
5. Add the sour cream and vanilla and continue to beat on low-medium speed until combined, scraping sides of bottom of bowl as needed.
6. Reduce speed to low, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, and mixing until just incorporated after each.
7. Divide batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.
8. Bake about 15-20 minutes depending on how your oven bakes.
9. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool for a few minutes.  Remove cupcakes from tins and return to wire racks to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Frosting 

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 4-5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and peanut butter until creamy.
2. Add in the confectioners sugar.
3. Once the sugar is thoroughly mixed in, slowly add in the cream and vanilla.