Easiest Chocolate Cupcakes

 

I love chocolate. I love cake. I especially love peanut butter; as in I will sit down with a jar and a spoon and eat peanut butter. So when BFFMandy asked for Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting for her birthday, I knew exactly what I would make. This cake starts with a mix and could not be simpler. I know that cake mix gets a bad rap, but let's just be honest for a minute...sometimes I just don't have time to make scratch cake in the middle of the week (unless I want to be up till 1AM...but that's another cupcake and another story); and these cupcakes freaking ROCK!

Easiest Chocolate Cupcakes

Adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor

1 Chocolate Cake Mix ( 18.25 Oz) (no pudding in the mix or other add-ins please!)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup buttermilk

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line your cupcake pans with liners; this recipe makes approximately 30 cupcakes. 

2. Empty the contents of the cake mix into a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, butter, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on low for 30 seconds, then on medium for a minute and thirty seconds. 

3. Use a medium ice cream scoop to fill the prepared cupcake liners three-quarters full. 

4. Bake according to package directions; approximately 20-25 minutes. 

5. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting. 

Side Note: I placed a miniature Reese's Cup in the center of each cupcake before baking.

Side Note 2: Try this with any cake mix, it's super easy, quick, and tasty. 

Peanut Butter Frosting

Adapted from Food.com

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened. 

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk (I used unsweetened Almond Milk in the cupcakes pictured above)

Pinch of table salt

1. In a medium bowl, beat butter and peanut butter with a mixer on medium until smooth and creamy. 

2. Add salt, beat an additional 30 seconds.

3. Add powdered sugar, beat on low speed until mixture is totally combined. 

4. Add vanilla extract and milk. Beat on low until combined, about 15 seconds. 

5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then increase mixer speed to high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy. This may take several minutes.

Yum!

=)