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Buried Treasure Cupcakes

These sweet Buried Treasure Cupcakes are filled with little mini-“gems”. They will leave all the pirates at your party completely satisfied.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 15
Calories 600kcal
Author Sandra

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar

Chocolate Buttercream

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup cocoa
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Buried Treasures

  • 12 ounce bag Mini M&M’s
  • 15 Milk chocolate Hershey’s Nuggets
  • 12 Oreo Cookies crumbled
  • 3 tablespoons gold sprinkles

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Mix all ingredients together until moist and well blended.
  • Place 15 cupcakes liners in a cupcake pan. Add batter until about 2/3 full. Place in oven for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Buttercream

  • In a large bowl, I use my Kitchen Aid mixer cream together butter and vanilla. Slowly blend in the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time beating well after each addition. 
  • Beat in the milk and cocoa powder and continue mixing until light and fluffy. You may need to add more confectioners’ sugar or milk until you find the right consistency, this varies every time I do the recipe.

Buried Treasure Cupcakes Assembly

  • Hole out the center of the cooled cupcakes by using a cereal spoon and scoop out the center, as pictured.
  • Fill with Mini-M&M’s.
  • Frost tops of cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream frosting.
  • If needed smooth out the frosting, then top with 1 Hershey’s Nugget still wrapped in paper.
  • Generously sprinkle top of cupcake with Oreo cookie crumbs and then a pinch of gold sprinkles.
  • Repeat process with remaining cupcakes, frosting, and candy.
  • Serve immediately or save for later. If I use them that day, I leave them out. Otherwise I store them in a box, stick the box in a bag, and tie it shut. This keeps them from drying out.

Notes

Original Cupcake Recipe

Nutrition

Calories: 600kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 68g | Vitamin A: 435IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2.2mg