A Reese's Birthday Delight

I wanted to prepare dessert for my Dad's birthday celebration, and most of all I wanted to try something new. While I love to cook, and {like to think I am pretty good at it} I am awful at baking. I think I lack the patience and 'exact measurement' skills to be a successful baker. In my quest to show up with something tasty, beautiful and from "full scratch" (quote by Mikey) I discovered a gem of a recipe.
Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes...
I found this recipe and directions on Hoosier Homemade.
These cupcakes were to die for! They were extremely rich and dense- but a fabulous treat!

Chocolate cupcakes:
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
4 large Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, cut into small pieces

I am not a batter taster, but I had to taste this one... and it was to DIE for!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper cupcake liners. In a separate bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Gently fold in Peanut Butter Cup pieces.

Divide batter into cupcake liners. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Because the batter was SO thick and dense, it did not rise like the boxed-cake mixes I am used to so I filled the cupcake liners more than I normally would once I stuck the second batch in the oven.

Peanut butter frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup Peanut Butter
3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
2 - 2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

(I ended up adding almost a cup more powdered sugar and more milk until it was totally fluffy. I also added a teaspoon of vanilla extract).

Directions:
Cream butter and Peanut Butter until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with a little milk at a time. Beat well, until desired consistency.

This frosting is like WHOA... it is the inside of a Reese's!

Frost cupcakes and garnish with a Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

Two hours later, I present to you...
my first entirely from scratch AND successful dessert.

Because it is uber rich, I served it with a vanilla bean ice cream. It was a total hit!