Black Magic Cupcake with Reese's filling, topped with a swirl of Peanut Butter/Chocolate Frosting

Here in the evolution of a cupcake being garnished (and eaten):

If you like peanut butter and chocolate together, proceed with caution because you will soon become addicted to this cupcake.

One of my best and dearest friends, Meg Bliss, is leading the Miniwanca girls Odyssey trip this year. If you don't know what Odyssey is, it is a biking trip where you bike from New Hampshire to Michigan (through Canada) in about 30 days. And I am hosting these girls for a night in Ann Arbor. Because they are so amazing, I am making them a treat: Black Magic cupcakes with a Reese's filling, topped with a swirl of peanut butter buttercream and chocolate frosting.

Black Magic Cake

Adapted from Hershey's Kitchens
makes 2 dozen cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened Cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup strong black coffee
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 bag of miniature Reese's cups

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line pans with cupcake paper (I used a metallic finished one so they look more like a candy wrapper)
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
3. Pour a little bit of batter into a cupcake wrapper, place a mini Reese's inside, put more batter on top... and continue until all the cupcake wrappers are full.
4. Bake 23 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

For the peanut butter frosting:

Adapted from Proceed with Caution (blog)

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup cool whip

1. In large bowl, with mixer on medium-low speed, beat butter, cream cheese, and peanut butter until smooth and blended.
2. Add powdered sugar slowly, incorporating fully after each addition.
3. Add cool whip and beat until smooth and creamy.

For the Chocolate Frosting:

Adapted from Magnolia Barkery

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, soft
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon milk
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate melted and cooled until lukewarm
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until soft and creamy - about 3 minutes.
2. Add the milk as you need it, and beat until smooth.
3. Add the melted chocolate and beat well.
4. Add vanilla, and beat for 3 minutes.
5. Slowly add the sugar and beat until you reach your desired consistency.