I decided to attempt the Snickers Surprise Cupcakes for my brothers’ graduation party yesterday.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe French Vanilla Cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 18 Snickers Miniatures Bars, frozen all the way through
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ¾ cup salted peanuts, chopped
• ¼ cup cocoa powder, for dusting

Preparation:

CUPCAKE Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Place 18 cupcake liners in two 12-cup cupcake pans

3. Toss the frozen snickers in ¼ cup of flour. Shake off excess and set aside

4. Combine cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Mix with an electric mixer on low or by hand for 2 minutes

5. Pour batter into prepared cups filling each about ¾ of the way. Place 1 mini Snickers Bar into the center of each cupcake

6. Bake cupcakes for 18 -21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

7. Remove pan from the oven and allow cupcakes to cool completely in the pan (about 20 minutes). While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the icing

ICING Preparation:

1. Place granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan, stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat

2. Continue cooking, without stirring until mixture reaches a medium amber color, about 6 – 7 minutes to make caramel

3. Remove caramel from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Set aside until cool for about 20 minutes

4. Combine butter and salt in a small bowl and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer for about 2 minutes until it becomes light in color and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until compl
etely incorporated

5. Add cooled caramel into the butter mixture and beat for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy and thoroughly mixed

6. Cover the icing and refrigerate it until stiff (about 45 minutes)

7. Using a piping bag with a small star tip, or a Zip lock bag with the corner cut off, pipe about 2 tablespoons of icing on each cupcake. Sprinkle with some chopped peanuts, dust with cocoa powder, and serve!

I baked the cupcakes on Friday night and decided I would prepare the frosting but actually frost them on Saturday since it needed to chill. 

I had two problems: I forgot to leave the butter out to soften (FAIL!) so I had to try to soften it myself.  Not pretty.  It ended up being a disastrously runny/thin frosting, so I googled how to thicken icing and everything suggested more sugar.

About that… the icing was rock hard in the AM, so I let it sit out for awhile.  Because I knew I’d freak out if the frosting didn’t work, I went to the store and got some Betty Crocker buttercream icing as back up.

Good thing I did!  The frosting wasn’t nearly enough. 

I used these goodies to make the cupcakes look even more attractive. 

As I piped the frosting, I added caramel sauce to the bag to give it a bit more flavor.

Are you ready for what you’re about to watch?

We’ve got the chocolate drizzle…

The caramel drizzzzz and the cocoa powder dusting…

Get in my belly!

Getting jazzed up!

Looking good, ladies.

The last and best step: add chopped Snickers!

Come to mama!

Sexy little cupcakes!

Chocolately, sugary goodness…

Heaven in cupcake form…

Packed up and ready to go!

DROOL.

These cupcakes were a hit and went fast!

The best part were the remainders on the parchment paper. 

I may or may not have licked this clean with my fingers.