“Mom, These Cupcakes Are the Best Thing Ever!”

“These Buckeye cupcakes are SO good!” Those were the words of my son, when he got home from school yesterday. I consider that pretty high praise, coming from a teenage boy who usually consumes an unbelievable amount of calories each day without much comment. He had two of the cupcakes in his lunch today, and I didn't count how many he ate this afternoon. Oh, how I envy his active teenage athletic metabolism!

I usually am the toughest critic of my own cooking, but I have to admit, these cupcakes I mentioned in my post yesterday really are a winner. I have had my share of flops while experimenting in the kitchen - but what cook hasn't? This time, however, I nailed it!

These cupcakes don't require much skill to make, although they are a little labor intensive as you must make the Buckeye candies first. I usually prefer to bake cakes from scratch and prepare my own icing, but my shortcut of using a cake mix and “doctored-up” store-bought frosting saved a lot of time - and didn't hurt the results at all.

Even if the Buckeyes hadn't won the 2015 College Football National Championship game, I think perhaps these cupcakes would still have made my family smile. An Oregon Ducks fan might even like them. (Perhaps by applying the peanut butter and chocolate frosting just half-and-half across the top of the cupcakes, instead of how I've suggested, they wouldn't have quite as much Buckeye character!) 

Whatever pattern you decide upon for the frosting, I hope that you enjoy them too!

Susan's Buckeye Cupcake Recipe

(makes 24 - 36 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

15 oz. chocolate cake mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 1/4 cup water

24 - 36 Buckeye candies (see recipe on the most - - of every moment, by clicking here)

2 cups Duncan Hines Cream classic chocolate frosting (or any deep chocolate-colored frosting)

1 cup Duncan Hines Cream cheese frosting (or any cream cheese frosting)

4 TBSP peanut butter

1 - 2 TBSP cocoa (optional)

I didn't have a lot of time, so I took a few shortcuts (cake mix and store-bought icing) when making these cupcakes.  The result was delicious - but if you prefer, feel free to substitute your favorite cake and icing recipes.

Cake and Filling Directions:

• Make cake mix according to the directions, using first 4 ingredients.

• Place 24 -36 paper cupcake liners in muffin tins and cover the bottom of each with cake batter

• Drop a Buckeye candy into each paper liner. (This will be the cupcake “filling.”)

• Add cake batter on top, covering each candy and filling cupcake liners about 2/3 full.

• Bake cupcakes 15 - 18 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes.

• Gently take cupcakes out of metal tins and allow to cool completely.

Frosting Directions:

• Add peanut butter to cream cheese frosting and mix well.  Use chocolate frosting as purchased or sift in a little additional cocoa (mix well) for a darker color if desired.

• Form flat 3/4 inch discs of icing and lay one in the center of each cupcake.

• Using a narrow metal spatula, carefully place chocolate frosting around each disc, completely covering rest of the top of the cupcake.  

• When finished, cupcake should resemble the top of an oversized Buckeye tree nut.

I would suggest serving these with a tall glass of cold milk - and a fork because they can be a little messy!

We are an OSU Buckeye family, but I love Tillamook ice cream from Oregon.

What flavor of ice cream would you serve with these cupcakes?

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!