Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

Attention Reese's lovers!!!! You are about to fall in love...with a cupcake. We decided to throw a birthday extravaganza at work a few weeks back. We had a bunch of b-days close to each other so we threw one mini party, instead of multiple. We looked through all the recipes we could find with candy in them, and they all agreed on these ones. They all love Peanut Butter! I am not a die hard fan, but even these won me over.
Lets get started!

Cupcakes
1 (18.25 oz) package devil's food cake
1 (3.4 oz) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp instant espresso granules (dissolve it in a 1/2 cup warm water)
30 Reese's mini peanut butter cups, frozen (make sure you freeze for at least three hours,)
Reese's peices if you like them.
cupcake liners

Peanut Butter Butter cream icing
3 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 lbs (that's right) powdered sugar
3-4 tbsp low fat milk
Reese's peanut cup minis

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place your cupcake liners in your pan.
In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, or your stand mixer bowl using the paddle attachment, mix together all of your ingredients, except the peanut butter cups for minute or two until well mixed.
Side Note: I didn't use Espresso Beans. I wasn't actually sure who at work did. Instead I used hot chocolate mix. I used the same amount, then microwaved it so it was nice and hot. Make sure it is well mixed if you do this. Then pour it into your batter.

 This was before the hot chocolate.

 This was after the hot chocolate.

 Fill your cupcake batter about 2/3 full.

 Get your cups out of the freezer. I left the wrappers on. I didn't want them to freeze together.

Take one cup and push it down about halfway into your filling. Place in the oven for 18-22 minutes. Make sure when you place a toothpick in the middle, that you don't hit the cup.

 Place them on a cooling rack when done. Start your frosting at this time.
Take your Peanut Butter and soft butter, and mix them on low to medium speed.

 Slowly add in the powdered sugar in small doses. As always, I recommend covering the blender with a towel just in case. Just don't catch the towel in the mixer.

Add your vanilla, and your milk in small doses, while blending on low speed. Add milk until it is the desired thinness.  Keep blending for about 5-7 minutes until nice and fluffy.  It should look like this when it is done.

 I placed mine in a bag, then cut out a small opening in the corner. Easier clean up that way.

 Here are the cupcakes fresh out of the oven.

 Make sure you fill up the hole with frosting before topping the rest. I found out very quickly that the rest of the frosting sinks, so it messes up your swirl.
Tada!!!

 So yummy!

Recipe courtesy of The Little Kitchen
Enjoy!!!