Snickers Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes:

(makes about 34 cupcakes)  

- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (sifted)

- 2 cups sugar

- 2 1/2 cups flour

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup hot water

- 1 cup buttermilk

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Line cupcake tins and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. In a small bowl, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Sift cocoa into a medium size bowl. Pour in the cup of hot water, and whisk until completely dissolved.

4. Add buttermilk, then add sugar, and whisk until combined. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix again.

5. Take flour mixture and whisk into wet mixture. Stir in heavy cream until evenly mixed in. 

6. Pour batter into cupcake tins, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

7. Let cupcakes cool completely.

For the frosting: 
(enough for about 30 cupcakes)

- 2 cups butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cups peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cream (we used heavy whipping cream because it's what we had on hand)
- 7 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 (7 oz) jars of marshmallow cream

1. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to combine butter and peanut butter. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add cream and vanilla, mix again. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth and fluffy.
3. Stir in marshmallow cream by hand with a spatula and stir until combined.

To finish cupcakes: 

- about 3/4 cup peanuts, chopped
- caramel sauce (we used caramel sundae syrup)
- chocolate sauce (we used Hershey's chocolate shell topping)
- 15 fun size or bite size Snickers, cut in half 

1. Pipe frosting on top of cupcakes.
2. Drizzle caramel sauce and chocolate sauce over frosting.
3. Top with chopped peanuts and one half of a Snickers candy.