A frosting made from candy bars! These simple yellow cupcakes are topped with a sweet and smooth Milky Way frosting. Candy bar lovers will love these Milky Way Cupcakes!
Want more recipes that use candy bars? Try this Almond Joy Candy Bar Filled Chocolate Bundt Cake or this Snickers Salad.
Today, I am sharing a recipe that I first made over 3 years ago when I was working with Betty Crocker developing recipes. I was going through my computer last week and came across a folder with recipes, and had a bit of nostalgia looking through those recipes. It was like a goldmine!
And when I saw this Milky Way Cupcake recipe, I knew I had to remake them.
The original cupcake was made simple with a box mix (which you totally could do) but this is my favorite basic cupcake recipe that never fails me. I’ve made it more times than I can count.
To these cupcakes, you add a frosting made from Milky Ways. Yep, you heard that right – the frosting is actually made from Milky Way Bars. You melt them down with a few other ingredients and it makes this wonderfully sweet, delicious frosting. Candy bars + cupcakes equal one awesome cupcake!!
How to Make Milky Way Cupcakes
To make the cupcakes:
Combine your dry ingredients.
Beat the sugar and butter together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then add in the eggs and the vanilla.
Add in 1/3 of the dry mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk. Repeat this, adding 1/2 of the remaining dry mixture, then the remaining buttermilk, and finally the last of the dry mixture.
Divide the batter between baking cups, and bake until done.
To make the frosting:
Bring a bit of water in a saucepan to a simmer. Find a heat proof bowl that will fit on top of the saucepan, but won’t touch the water. In the bowl, combine the candy bars, butter, and milk. Cook this, stirring often, until it is all melted together and smooth.
Remove the mixture from the heat, and stir in the vanilla. Beat in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth.
Assemble the cupcakes:
Once the cupcakes are cool, pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. It is not like a typical frosting, so I like to just pipe from the center and let it flood out to the edges. You can top them with a chopped piece of Milky Way, if desired.
More Cupcake Recipes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Key Lime Cupcakes
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
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Milky Way Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
Milky Way Frosting:
- 12 oz (about 12) fun-sized Milky Way candy bars
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- additional chopped or cut Milky Way candy bars for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Line 18 cupcake tins with paper liners.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the sugar and the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla.
- Add one-third of the flour mixture, beat to combine, then half of the buttermilk. Repeat with another third of the flour and the remaining buttermilk, followed by the remaining flour, beating just until combined between each addition.
- Divide the mixture between the 18 cups, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely.
- To make the frosting, bring a small saucepan with about 1 inch of water to a simmer. Combine the candy bars, butter and milk in a large heat-proof bowl and set over the simmering water. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the candy bars have melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until the mixture is smooth. (You can do this by hand as well, but it will be a little more difficult.)
- Let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes until just warm to the touch. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. It’s easiest to pipe it from the middle and let the frosting spread out to the edges a bit. Immediately top with a candy bar piece.
Lyn says
I can’t wait to try these! I went to the Betty Crocker site and had to tell you I think your cupcakes look so much prettier and yummy 😋
Tammy says
Can you frost and make these a day before?
meganrepp says
Got to make these sweet delicious cupcakes and they were easy fun and just what I was looking for! My entire family loved them… Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Deborah says
Yay! I’m so glad you all loved them!
Mary says
Joan would have licked the frosting bowl clean for a candy bar frosting. These cupcakes are the perfect way to remember her. I’m so glad she was able to travel and spend precious time with so many of us this year!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
I’m so thankful we got to spend that time with her last spring!! <3 These cupcakes are gorgeous, as usual!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
How cute are these?! Seriously fun cupcake idea! Love all of your photo memories of Joan. This is such a great way to celebrate her favorite food!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Candy bar frosting? Now that sounds like something Joan would LOVE. This is such a sweet post and I’m loving the photos (as I’m tearing up in my coffee)!!