Marshmallow Candy-Stuffed White Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

I normally don’t make cupcakes because they’re a bit of a PITA. Cupcakes require more precision and patience than a pan of bars.

Carefully pouring the batter into molds or liners, taking care not to overfill, cleaning up any drips on the side of the pan before baking, and then frosting each one individually makes them more of a chore.

Another reason I don’t make cupcakes is because most recipes yield a couple dozen cupcakes.

After I’ve had one or two three cupcakes in a 24 hour period, there is really no need to have another 20 or so just laying around.

I love desserts but let’s face it, a little self-control is a good thing.

So is a recipe with built-in portion control and this one yields just six cupcakes.

Amen for small-batch recipes.

I thought it would be fun to stuff these fluffy little clouds with special edition 3 Musketeers Marshmallow fun-size candies.

Everything, including cupcakes, tastes better when paired with marshmallows and chocolate.

During the last few minutes of baking, I carefully inserted one bite-sized 3 Musketeers into each of the six cupcakes. I wasn’t sure if the 3 Musketeers were going to melt or not. The verdict was no, they did not. The dough continued to rise and envelop the candies, but they didn’t melt.

Why they would melt in my trunk on a hot summer day and not in the oven is apparently one of life’s mysteries.

While the cupcakes cooled, I made enough fluffy buttercream frosting so that I could lick the bowl, the beater, and frost each cupcake with sky high amounts of frosting.

And still have a little extra frosting for a frosting-meets-spoon-standing-in-front-of the-refrigerator-at-12:36am party. The best kind of party.

I like a little food with my frosting.

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3 Musketeers Marshmallow Candy-Stuffed White Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (with Vegan and Gluten Free suggestions)

Makes 6 cupcakes

1 cup white cake mix (or golden, vanilla, or your favorite boxed mix)

1 large egg

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (clear is ideal if you want to keep these whiter)

1/3 cup white chocolate chips

six 3 Musketeers bite-size candies (or bite-size Snickers, Butterfinger, Reese’s Cups, Rolo, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350F and line a standard-sized muffin pan with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, egg, vegetable oil, vanilla, and whisk (by hand is fine) until batter is free from lumps and smooth. Pour batter into the muffin liners, divided equally among the six. Note: It may seem like there isn’t enough batter in each of liners, but the cupcakes rise considerably.

Distribute about 12-15 white chocolate chips around the top perimeter of each of the cupcakes. Bake for 11 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven, carefully insert an unwrapped 3 Musketeers candy into the top of each of the cupcakes, very lightly pressing it down just past the surface, and “breaking” the surface. Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the edges of the cupcakes have shown the very first signs of browning. Remove from the oven and allow cupcakes to cool in the muffin pan before attempting to remove them. If desired, frost them or glaze them. Cupcakes will keep in an airtight container on the countertop or refrigerator for up to one week.

Frosting Variations

For Fluffy Buttercream Frosting (shown here) combine 1/4 cup softened butter, 2 to 3+ cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (clear is ideal if you want to keep frosting whiter), and a splash of cream or milk as necessary, and beat until very fluffy and smooth (in a stand mixer, paddle for at least 3-4 minutes for extremely fluffy frosting). Frost cupcakes as desired with a spoon, pastry bag, or plastic baggie with the corner cut off.

For Cream Cheese Frosting, combine 1/4 cup softened cream cheese, 1 to 2 tablespoons softened butter (optional),  2 to 3+ cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (clear is ideal), and a splash of cream or milk as necessary, and beat until very fluffy and smooth. Frost cupcakes as desired.

For Vanilla Glaze, combine 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 to 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (clear is ideal), and 2 tablespoons+ cream or milk, and whisk until very smooth. Glaze cupcakes as desired, either by dipping the tops into a bowl of glaze or drizzling the glaze over the top of cupcakes.

To keep vegan, choose a vegan cake mix, use a flax egg or other egg replacer, use vegan candy. Use margarine and vegan cream cheese as desired for the frosting. To keep gluten free, use gluten free cake mix and gluten free candy. Ensure all products used are suitable for your own dietary needs.

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These cupcakes combine everything that is right with the world.

Golden, spongy, moist cake and white chocolate chips…

Fluffy, creamy, sweet, buttercream frosting that just won’t quit…

And a surprise chocolate-covered marshmallow candy hidden within the doughy depths of soft cake.

The fluffy marshmallow in the candies paired perfectly with the fluffy frosted tops.

These half dozen sweet little nothings made a certain five year old’s eyes light right up, which was the best part of all.

If you’re a fan of stuffed desserts and treats, here are a few related recipes:

Snickers Bar Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dark Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies Stuffed with Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough & Marshmallow Stuffed Rice Krispie Bars (No Bake)

Oreo Cookie-Stuffed Brownies with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Ritz Cracker Stuffed Peanut Butter Cups (No Bake, Vegan, with GF option)

Do you make cupcakes?  Do you have a favorite recipe?

Do you like 3 Musketeers candy bars? Favorite store-bought candy?

I “like” the original 3 Musketeers candy bars but I don’t “love” them, and I realize that’s a bit ironic because I chose to use them in these cupcakes.

However, the limited-edition marshmallow-filled 3 Musketeers caught my eye when I was stocking up on Easter bunny goodies and they caught my eye. I like them much more than the original 3 Musketeers bars and they’re more like a Milky Way Dark, which I adore.

Obviously these cupcakes can be made without using 3 Musketeers bars and any type of candy can be substituted, or none at all. Between the white chocolate chips and the frosting and the cupcakes themselves, you won’t necessarily miss the candy.

In terms of storebought candy, I’ll never say no to good old-fashioned Peanut M & M’s, Rolo, Butterfinger, Reese’s Cups, and Sees Candy is fabulous.

Thanks for the Yumvelope Healthy Snacks Giveaway entries, also.

Thanks for the KitchenAid 7-Quart Stand Mixer Giveaway entries. Final days until a winner is announced.

Have a great week!