Spooktacular Chocolate Cupcakes

== Description ==
=== Ingredients ===
* 2 cups all-purpose flour 
* 2 cups Sugar 
* 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S cocoa 
* 1 tsp baking soda 
* 1 tsp salt 
* 1/2 tsp baking powder 
* 3/4 cup shortening 
* 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk* 
* 3/4 cup water 
* 2 eggs 
* 1 tsp vanilla extract 
* Peanut butter cream FILLING (recipe follows) 
* Assorted candies (optional) 
* Peanut butter cream FILLING 
* 2 pckg (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened 
* 2/3 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut butter 
* 1/4 cup milk 
* 1 tsp vanilla extract 
* 3 cups powdered sugar 
== Directions ==
1 Heat oven to 350 °F. Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. 
2 Stir together dry ingredients in 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. 
3 Fill muffin cups 1/2 full with batter. Bake 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. 
4 Prepare Peanut butter cream FILLING; place into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Insert tip into center of cupcakes; pipe filling into cake. Remove tip from cake; garnish top with swirl of filling. Decorate with candies, if desired. Cover; refrigerate leftover cupcakes. About 3 dozen cupcakes. 
5 * To sour milk: Use 2-1/4 teaspoons white vinegar plus milk to equal 3/4 cup. 
6 Peanut butter cream FILLING 
7 Beat cream cheese and Peanut butter in large bowl until blended. Add milk and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary, until desired consistency. About 2-3/4 cups filling. 
8 Recipe from Hershey's Kitchens 
== See also ==
Category:Buttermilk Recipes
Category:Cocoa Recipes
Category:Cream cheese Recipes
Category:Kid-friendly Recipes
Category:Sour milk Recipes
Category:Vanilla extract Recipes
Category:White vinegar Recipes