Spooktacular Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

2 cups All-purpose flour
2 cups Sugar
3/4 cup Cocoa
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
3/4 cup Shortening
3/4 cup Buttermilk
3/4 cup Water
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Assorted candies (optional)
PEANUT BUTTER CREAM FILLING
23 3 Oz Package cream cheese;
2/3 cup Creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3 cups Powdered sugar

Method

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups which are 2 1/2 in diameter with paper baking cups. Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add shortening, buttermilk, water, eggs and vanilla. Beat on low speed of electric mixer 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Fill muffin cups 1/3 full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Prepare Peanut Butter Cream Filling: Beat cream cheese and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add milk and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add additional milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until desired consistency. Place peanut butter cream filling into a pastry bag, fitted with a large star tip. Insert tip into center of cupcakes; pipe filling into cupcake. Remove tip from cake; garnish top with swirl of filling. Decorate with candies if desired. Cover; refrigerate leftover cupcakes. Yields about 3 dozen cupcakes.

Yield

6 Servings