Butterfinger Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

2       cups Flour All-purpose
1       tsp Baking soda  
1       cup Unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
1       cup Sugar  
1       cup Light brown sugar Firmly packed
4         Large eggs At room temperature
6       oz Unsweetened chocolate  
1       cup Buttermilk  
1       tsp vanilla extract  

Butterfinger Frosting

6         Butterfingers King sized
        bag Mini Butterfingers  
1       stick Unsalted butter Softened
1/2 cup Peanut butter  
1       cup Powdered sugar  
3-4       Tbsp Whole milk As needed
          Food coloring Orange gel
I don't use it. *See Note 1 below.

 

Directions

Cupcakes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. *See Note 2 below
  2. Line 2, 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
  3. To prepare the batter, in a medium bowl, sift together the flour and the baking soda, set aside.
  4. Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave for about 1 minute, stir the chocolate until it is all melted and if it is not melted all the way, microwave in 10 second intervals stirring after until completely melted.
  5. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until smooth, about 3 minutes.
  6. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  7. Add the chocolate, mixing until well incorporated.
  8. Add the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, beating after each addition until smooth.
  9. Spoon the batter into cups about 3/4 full.
  10. Using an ice cream scoop helps make even cupcakes.
  11. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the top springs back.
  12. Place on a rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

  1. To make the frosting, peel the chocolate from the Butterfinger bars. *See Note 3 below.
  2. Process 6 "naked" Butterfinger bars (no chocolate) in a food processor or crush with a rolling pin in a large ziplock bag until it is the consistency of powder (save one peeled for the garnish).
  3. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and white.
  4. Add peanut butter and powdered Butterfinger and mix until combined.
  5. Add the powdered sugar until combined.
  6. The frosting will be a little dry (or it could even look like cookie dough).
    Add about 3 Tbsp of milk and mix.
    If it is still dry add 1 Tbsp at a time until it's almost where you want it.
    The frosting does loosen up a bit after it rests.
  7. Transfer frosting into a piping bag and frost the cupcakes.

  8. Place a half of a mini Butterfinger on top of each cupcake.

Notes:

  1. The food coloring can be added with the whole milk if the color isn't "orange" enough for you, but I find that I don't need it.
    The trick is getting all of the chocolate off the Butter fingers
  2. Amanda has a "trick" for cooking the cupcakes.
    Set the oven to 325° and cook for 18 minutes.
    The cupcakes will finish cooking in the tins after being removed from the oven and they won't be over cooked, crumbly, or dry.
  3. Freezing the Butterfingers before peeling them makes the chocolate come of in large chunks. It also makes the crushing process much easier.
    Using a vegetable peeler works well for some.
    I never imagined I would ever use my vegetable peeler for this purpose, but it works.