Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
These chocolate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes have a secret peanut butter cup treat at the bottom and Reese’s frosting. Decorated like witches, they are the perfect Halloween trick AND treat.
Ingredients
Cupcakes Ingredients
- 2 (10.5) ounce bags Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (snack size)*
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups 100% cocoa powder Dutch Processed*
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons Morton Coarse Kosher Salt 1 teaspoon if you use table salt
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup boiling water
Frosting Ingredients (the American Buttercream version)
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 1 (10.5) ounce bag Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (snack size), melted
- 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
- salt to taste
- 10 to 12 drops green food dye optional
- chocolate ice cream cones* optional
- edible decorative eyes* optional
Instructions
Cupcake Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cupcake tins with paper liners. Place a snack size Reese’s Peanut Butter cup in the bottom of each liner.
- Measure and sift all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Whisk to mix.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and oil together in a medium bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry, whisking until just combined.
- Whisk in the boiling water.
- Pour batter into the cupcake liners, filling them up about 3/4 of the way. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool ten minutes in the pan and then remove them and let them cool on wire racks.
Frosting Instructions (the American Buttercream version)
- Melt the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in a glass bowl in 20 second intervals in the microwave until the chocolate is melted and the peanut butter filling has softened.
- Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the cooled and beaten Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and beat until fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until it’s the consistency you want. If you add the green food dye, you’ll have to add more powdered sugar.
Notes
- A 10.5-ounce bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups has 14 cups
- Natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s) also works, but the Dutch Process gets a darker color and softer crumb.
- I couldn't find chocolate ice cream cones, which requires much less work. If you also can't find them, buy regular cones. Melt some chocolate melting wafers in the microwave and pour it onto a plate. Roll the cones in the chocolate until they are completely covered and set on top of parchment paper to dry.
- Some grocery stores might have edible decorative eyes but I got mine at Michaels. I also got the cute Happy Halloween and witches legs there too.