Monday, September 22, 2008

Close To A Candy Bar Cupcake

Cupcakes:
18 1/4 oz box chocolate cake mix
1/3 c veg oil
3 large eggs
1/2 cup mini semisweet choc chips

Filling and Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, room temp.
2 c sifted confectioners' sugar
1/3 c creamy peanut butter
3 T buttermilk
1/3 c sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1/3 c honey-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 18 muffin cups or line with paper liners. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat the cake mix, 1 1/3 c water, oil, and eggs on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in choc chips.
Fill muffin tins two thirds full. Bake about 25-28 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cupcake. Cool 5 minutes in pans, then transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare filling and frosting. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat cream cheese and confectioners sugar until fluffy. Add peanut butter and buttermilk; beat well.
To fill cupcakes, insert a paring knife into top of each cupcake, making a small hole in the center. Spoon a third of the peanutbutter mixture into a zip-top plastic bag. Snip off a small corner at the bottom. Divide filling among holes in tops of cupcakes.
Frost tops with remaining peanut butter mixture. Garnish tops with toasted coconut and peanuts.