Reeses Cupcakes (reposting)

I made these cupcakes for my mothers birthday. They were a huge hit, and I am requested to make them again for every birthday now.

Directions:
1. I used a regular Chocolate chip cupcake mix and made the cupcakes as the box told me to. However, to get the most moist cupcake, set your time for 5-8 minutes earlier than they call for. So if they say it will take 18 minutes, set your timer for 13 and check with a toothpick. I can’t stress this enough! My mom always overcooks her cupcakes, and this is the problem.
2. Let the cupcakes cool. You want them to be fully cooled before doing anything else.
3. I used half of the first bag of Reeses minis, chopped them up finely. After, I cut the rest of the minis 1 1/2 bags into halves. Then, put all of it in the refrigerator to cool… they kind of melted from handling.
4. I then took the cooled cupcakes and cut holes in the middle to fill them with my homemade filling. DON’T get rid of the cut outs.
5. I combined the following ingredients to make my homemade peanut butter frosting.
-1 cup Peanut butter
-4 cups Confectioners sugar
-1 teaspoon Vanilla
-2 teaspoons Milk
Blend this with a mixer. If the consistency is too thick, keep adding milk at small quanities. It will change fast so don’t add too much too soon.
6. After the peanut butter frosting is made, take about 1/4 of this mixture and put it in a bowl. Take your finely chopped Reeses out of the fridge and mix it into the icing.
7. Place a small spoonfull of the reeses into the cupcakes and cover with the parts your cut out.
8. Place the rest of the Reeses frosting into a frosting bag. Make sure it is only on one side of the bag. Place store bought chocolate icing on the opposite side.
9. Squeeze to ice all of your cupcakes, twist your hand to creat a pretty design.
10. Place the halved Reeses on top to decorate.
11. Enjoy.

Baking Cupcakes from a box mix

I’m by no means an expert baker, but I love baking. There is a precise science to baking, you have to follow some rules. However, after you follow these rules you are free to explore the deliciousness of baking with a twist. Here are some tips I have discovered while baking from a box mix.

1.Preheat your oven! Don’t put your cupcakes into the cold oven, it will mess with the cupcakes cooking process and the cooking times.

2. Use cupcake liners and take your time filling them. Wouldn’t it be great to finish cooking and not have those stubborn cupcake pans staring you in the face. Sure, you will “soak” them, but they will be staring you in the face every time you walk near the sink. Use cupcake liners, and WIPE away the small blobs of batter that dropped onto the cupcake pans while filling the liners with a damp paper towel. This way the cupcake pans just need to cool down and they can be put back away.

3. Play around with adding things to your boxed mixes. I have created an amazing cinnamon apple cupcake from a vanilla box mix.I posted my recipe earlier this week.

4. If you use a box mix or any recipe if it says to cook for 10-15 minutes set your timer for 10 minutes then do the *toothpick test. If the toothpick isn’t clean, cook for 3 more minutes. The point is to bake it fully but not overcooking it.

5. Cupcakes should be removed from their pan immediately so they don’t “cook” from the heat of the pan. You don’t want an overcooked dry cupcake.

6. Don’t be afraid to add a filling to your cupcakes. I have put frosting inside the cupcakes, for a reverse cupcake. I have used jam, sprinkles with frosting mixed in, and even fruit. To fill the cupcakes, let them cook a bit after cooking, hollow out a bit of the middle and fill. SAVE the hollowed part to top the cupcake. This way the isn’t a huge hole.

7. Don’t try to frost your cupcakes too soon. They are hot, even if they are warm they will melt the frosting.

8. Mix frostings. Mix a chocolate frosting with a peanut butter frosting. Put a chocolate frosting onto an orange cake. You are the designer, have fun!

9. Always store your cupcakes in air tight containers. This will stop them from drying out.

10. Have fun and experiment. Explore and create!

Let me know of the different combinations you have made. What went well together?

*See my post on Fall Cupcakes for the toothpick test

Reeses Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for my mothers birthday. They were a huge hit, and I am requested to make them again for every birthday now.

Directions:
1. I used a regular Chocolate chip cupcake mix and made the cupcakes as the box told me to. However, to get the most moist cupcake, set your time for 5-8 minutes earlier than they call for. So if they say it will take 18 minutes, set your timer for 13 and check with a toothpick. I can’t stress this enough! My mom always overcooks her cupcakes, and this is the problem.
2. Let the cupcakes cool. You want them to be fully cooled before doing anything else.
3. I used half of the first bag of Reeses minis, chopped them up finely. After, I cut the rest of the minis 1 1/2 bags into halves. Then, put all of it in the refrigerator to cool… they kind of melted from handling.
4. I then took the cooled cupcakes and cut holes in the middle to fill them with my homemade filling. DON’T get rid of the cut outs.
5. I combined the following ingredients to make my homemade peanut butter frosting.
-1 cup Peanut butter
-4 cups Confectioners sugar
-1 teaspoon Vanilla
-2 teaspoons Milk
Blend this with a mixer. If the consistency is too thick, keep adding milk at small quanities. It will change fast so don’t add too much too soon.
6. After the peanut butter frosting is made, take about 1/4 of this mixture and put it in a bowl. Take your finely chopped Reeses out of the fridge and mix it into the icing.
7. Place a small spoonfull of the reeses into the cupcakes and cover with the parts your cut out.
8. Place the rest of the Reeses frosting into a frosting bag. Make sure it is only on one side of the bag. Place store bought chocolate icing on the opposite side.
9. Squeeze to ice all of your cupcakes, twist your hand to creat a pretty design.
10. Place the halved Reeses on top to decorate.
11. Enjoy.