Sweet Surprise Cupcakes

November is now upon us, & I've been slacking in updates. I have one more semi-Halloween themed cupcake for y'all. They're just super good & super enjoyable to eat! I know I did; I can only eat 1 in one sitting, though...sometimes my sweet tooth tells me when enough is enough.

 So what is the sweet surprise inside, you ask? It's a cookie dough ball with M&M's instead of chocolate chips. Pair that with peanut butter frosting...you'll be singing a sweet song all day, guaranteed.


SWEET SURPRISE CUPCAKES

Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Candy Cookie Dough Filling:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• about 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup mini M&M's

Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp. Cool Whip
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2-3 cups powder sugar

Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and sour cream.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and soda; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla extract. Stir in flour, alternating with buttermilk mixture. If cake mix is too thick, add a little milk to thin it out.
Fill liners 2/3 full; bake for 16-20 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. When cooled, cut a small cone out of the middle, discarding the cake.
Cookie Dough:
In a medium bowl, or a stand mixer bowl, beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla extract. Mix in flour on low speed, adding the milk in small increments. When dough is soft & formed, stir in M&M's with a rubber spatula. Form into 1 Tablespoon-sized balls, then press into each cupcakes.
Frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, peanut butter, Cool Whip and vanilla extract for 2 minutes. Add powder sugar, one cup at a time, on low speed, mixing until desired consistency is reached. Pipe onto cupcakes, and top with chocolate shavings, if desired. Enjoy!