about 30 miniature peanut butter cups15 left whole (for filling the cupcakes) and the other 15 coarsely chopped (for topping the cupcakes)
Peanut Butter Frosting:
1 ¼cupspowdered sugar
1generous cupcreamy peanut butter
6tablespoonsbuttersoftened
¾teaspoonpure vanilla extract
¼teaspoonsalt
¼cupto ⅓ half and half
¼cuphot fudge saucefor drizzling (make sure it's not hot)
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 15 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Set aside.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Once combined, beat in egg, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water until well combined; the batter will be thin.
Pour the batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Place one peanut butter cup in the middle of each of the cups of batter, no need to press it down, as it will sink as the cupcakes bake.
Bake the cupcakes for about 18 minutes, until they have puffed up slightly and the tops spring back when you touch them.
Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
Beat the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt for several minutes, until smooth. Slowly add in half and half until you reach your desired consistency.
Using a butter knife or a pastry bag with a piping tip, generously frost the tops of all the cupcakes. Drizzle with hot fudge sauce (not hot) and sprinkle with chopped peanut butter cups.