Texas Size Chocolate Cupcake with

 Peanut Butter/Cream Cheese Filling

 

 

I absolutely LOVE making cupcakes!  They are so much fun to bake and decorate.  There is just something about a cupcake that makes people SMILE.  This weekend I had the opportunity to make one of my most loved cupcakes because the Fabulous Foursome Gang Houston, Cara, Nick, and Jessi came home from college for the weekend.  Most of the time you cannot go wrong with chocolate, peanut butter, or cream cheese.  This cupcake can be used for any season or any holiday.  Here's the recipe which is very simple to make.

 

You will need:  2 Texas size cupcake pans along with the cupcake liners.  I purchased mine at Wal-Mart but I am sure Targets or an kitchen place carries them.  This makes a dozen cupcakes.   Also a Pastry bag/dessert gun decorator, and a melon baller. 

 

1 Devil's Food cake mix (required ingredients the mix calls for), 8oz package cream cheese, 1/2C peanut butter, 2TBSP milk, 1 stick of real butter, 2C powdered sugar, 6 TBSP. cocoa, 1 tsp. vanilla

 

Preheat:  oven to 350

 

Cake Batter:  One box of Devil's Food Cake.  Pick what every your favorite brand is and follow the directions.  I use a 1/4 measuring cup to pour batter into each cupcake liner and then a medium cookie dough scoop to add the rest.  You can figure out your own measuring way and if you come up with a better one please let me know.  Follow the suggested time on the cake box.  As soon as you take them out of the oven cover it with foil and put it in the refrigerator or freezer.  This locks in the moisture which makes your cupcakes very moist.   (I also do this with all my cakes I bake)

 

 

Filling:  8oz Cream Cheese softened, 1/2C real butter, 2 TBSP milk.  Beat together until smooth and ingredients are completely combined.

 

Take a melon baller and use the bigger end to scoop out a portion of the cupcake on top and lay that aside.  Then put filling in a pastry bag and squeeze into hole.  Replace scooped out portion back on top of cupcake.  It will be sticking up but that is okay because when you frost the cake it will give the frosting heights and a much prettier look.

 

Frosting:  1 stick of real butter softened, 2 C powdered sugar, 6 TBSP cocoa, 1 tsp vanilla.  Beat together until all ingredients are completely combined.

 

Then fold in one 8oz carton of Cool Whip until all ingredients are combined.

 

Use a pastry bag or a dessert gun with star tip to pipe the frosting on top.  Start on the outside and work your way up around to the top and top it off with a peak.

 

Then top off with one mini Reeses peanut butter cup and white sparkling sugar.

 

I keep the cupcakes refrigerated until I serve them because of the dairy products in them and it also hardens the frosting so that it holds in place.

 

Presenting them on a cupcake stand also adds a nice touch for those special occasions.