Ultimate Chocolate Layered Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Birthday Cake

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This may come as a shock, but I indulge in other desserts besides cupcakes. Gasp! I know that sounds crazy, but it's true. I feel justified enjoying cake because it's really just a giant cupcake.

As you might remember, last month I attended the "You've Been Just Spotted" OC Blog Awards (I was nominated). Although, I didn't win my category, I was introduced to a blog that won the Editor's Choice award.

Check out Picky Palate and you will agree that it is not just another recipe blog. Of course, I have been drooling over the dessert recipes, such as this Ultimate Chocolate Layered Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Birthday Cake, along with the Black Bottomed Mini Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites. Yummy! Good thing the holiday season is creeping up because I am armed with recipes to wow my family.

One Big Cupcake

Last week was my sister's 11th birthday. She requested that I make the same cupcakes that I made for Skyler's birthday a few months. But instead of using a devil's food cake mix I used a yellow cake mix. (Side note: I liked the devil's food cake better with this cupcake.)
I also tried something new. I used my big cupcake tray for the first time! Interestingly, the cake mix only made 9 cupcakes as opposed to the normal 24 cupcakes. To compensate for being a larger cupcake, I had to pile on more frosting. No problem there! These cupcakes were a hit at the party. I can't reiterate enough how delicious chocolate and peanut butter are together.

I haven't decided if I like eating bigger cupcakes better. There has to be a lot of frosting on top for the cake/frosting ratio to be correct. Also, would my satisfaction be better if I ate two normal cupcakes instead of one large one? This is definitely something I need to think carefully about!

Birthday Cupcakes

Recently a friend was saddened when I attended an event and didn't bring any cupcakes. I am now known as the cupcake girl! I was very excited to be given this unofficial title. So last week my husband had a birthday. We had a party for him and, of course, I had to bake cupcakes! I wanted to try something a little different. One of my favorite cupcakes that I reviewed recently was the Peanut Butter from SusieCakes. Peanut butter and chocolate are just made to go together!
So peanut butter and chocolate were my inspiration for my birthday cupcakes. I used a devil's food chocolate cake mix. For the frosting I used milk chocolate, and then mixed about 3 Tablespoons of peanut butter. Last, I sprinkled large chunks of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups on top.
They were a success! I think that the crumbled Reese's were definitely the key to my cupcake success. I had to control myself by only eating one because I have my triathlon on Saturday. (I try to cut out sugar for the two weeks before my races.) But watch out after my race!