Chocolate Candy Cupcakes

I had incorrectly assumed these cupcakes were a basic cupcake with chopped candy bars inside them. Sometimes it's good to be wrong. In the case of these cupcakes, it was phenomenal to be wrong.

These are among my favorite cupcake creations to date ... rich and decadent.

Chocolate Candy Cupcakes
Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
Filling
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 egg
2 full-size Snickers (or similar) candy bars, chopped
Frosting
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
3 Tbsp. milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Garnish
1 full-size Snickers (or similar) candy bar, chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 cupcake tins with wrappers.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed.

In separate bowl, beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in candy pieces.

Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling to about 1/2 full. Drop one Tbsp. filling into each cupcake, which should make cupcakes about 2/3 full.

Bake 23 to 30 minutes or until cream cheese portion is lightly golden. Cool in pans 5 minutes, and then cool completely on wire racks.

To prepare frosting, combine sugar and butter over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat, and stir in milk. Let stand until room temperature, and then stir in powdered sugar until smooth.

Spread each cupcake with frosting. Top with candy pieces for garnish. Makes 18 cupcakes.