Spooktacular Chocolate Cupcakes
Delicious homemade chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter cream filling piped into the centers and garnished on top with a decorative swirl and assorted candies.
Recipe Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
3/4 cup water
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PEANUT BUTTER CREAM FILLING:
2 (3-ounces each) packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
Assorted candies (optional)
Cooking Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line muffin cups (2 1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups.
- Stir together dry ingredients in large bowl. Add shortening, buttermilk, water, eggs and vanilla. Beat on low speed of electric mixer 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
- Fill muffin cups 1/2 full with batter. Bake 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.
- Prepare PEANUT BUTTER CREAM FILLING; place into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Insert tip into center of cupcakes; pipe filling into cake. Remove tip from cake; garnish top with swirl of filling. Decorate with candies, if desired. Cover; refrigerate leftover cupcakes.
- FOR PEANUT BUTTER CREAM FILLING: Beat cream cheese and peanut butter in large bowl until blended. Add milk and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary, until desired consistency. Makes about 2 3/4 cups filling.
Makes about 3 dozen cupcakes.
*To sour milk: Use 2 1/4 teaspoons white vinegar plus milk to equal 3/4 cup.
Recipe and photograph courtesy of the Hershey Kitchens, and reprinted with permission of The Hershey Company. © The Hershey Company.