Chocolate Peanut Butter Filled Cupcakes

Due to work, I spent my birthday away from my family this year.  But I wasn't about to have a birthday without a cake.  A friend of mine came over and we baked these wonderful cupcakes.  Seriously, these are possibly the best cupcakes I've ever had in my life.  Just some advice, I recommend baking these with the windows open... the smell of this much peanut butter can be a little overwhelming.

Cupcakes

• I cheated here and used a Duncan Hines Devil's Food cake mix, but you can replace this with any recipe you might have for chocolate cupcakes

Filling

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp milk

Directions

1. Bake cupcakes according to recipe directions.  Allow to cool.
2. Use a paring knife to remove a hole in the center of the cupcake.
3. FILLING: microwave peanut butter and butter for 45 seconds.  Mix in graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar.  Refrigerate 20-30 minutes.
4. Roll approximately 1 Tbsp of filling into a ball and place in the hold of each cupcake.
5. FROSTING: Beat butter and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add peanut butter and mix until combined.  Add powdered sugar one cup at a time.  Mix in milk.
6. Frost filled cupcakes using an icing tip of your choice.

I also added miniature Reese's to the top that I frosted with the peanut butter buttercream frosting for decoration.  YUM.  Will definitely be making these again!