Butterfinger Cupcakes

By AllyBees

Butterfinger's are a timeless candy bar that will hold a place in my heart for eternity. I spend so much time on one that I think I burn more calories eating it layer by layer than I intake. These cupcakes are a tribute to them.

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar
• 4 eggs
• Scant 1 cup mashed ripe banana
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 12 fun size Butterfinger bars, cut in half
• Frosting:
• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
• Topping:
• 4 fun size Butterfinger bars, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Step 1

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and add in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the mashed banana until well combined. With the mixer on low speed alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing only until just incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 to ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter and peanut butter until smooth. Slowly mix in the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth and well blended. Mix in the whipped topping until smooth and fluffy.

To assemble the cupcakes, place a candy bar half on top of each cooled cupcake. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe onto the cupcakes, covering the candy bar completely. (I used a large, unlabeled star tip to frost these cupcakes.) Sprinkle with chopped candy bars for garnish.