1 box yellow cake mix
3 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla, divided
3/4 cup sour cream
3 eggs
2 oz unsweetened chocolate squares
2 tbs butter OR margarine
1 cup 10x sugar

grease bottom of a 10″ springform pan. prepare cake mix as directed on pkg; pour into the prepared pan.

bake at 325° for 25 minutes if using a silver springform pan; 300° for 20 minutes if using a black nonstick springform pan. cool.

beat cream cheese, sugar & 1 tsp of the vanilla in a lg bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.

add sour cream & mix well.

add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until just blended. pour over cake layer in pan.

bake at 325° for 40-45 mnutes or until center is set if using a silver pan; 300° for 40-45 minutes or until center is set if using a dark nonstick pan.

run a knife or metal spatula around the rim of the pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim.

place chocolate, milk & butter in a medium microwavable bowl.

microwave on HIGH 2 minutes, or until butter is melted, stirring after 1 minute. stir until chocolate is completely melted.

add 10x sugar & remaining 1 tsp vanilla. mix well.

spread over cooled cheesecake.

refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

CUPCAKES:

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sliced & firmly packed ripe banana
1 tbs canola oil
3 tbs water
1 lg egg
1 tbs dutch process cocoa powder
1 (9 oz) box devil’s food cake mix without pudding

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING:

2 1/2 tbs softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup plus 2 1/4 tsp 10x sugar
1 1/2-2 tsp whole milk
2 1/2 tbs roasted & lightly salted chopped peanuts
10 dried banana chips

preheat oven to 375°. place a medium-sized platter in the freezer.

line 10 standard muffin cups with paper liners. set aside.

to make the cupcakes, in a medium bowl & with an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter, sliced banana, oil & water together on medium speed until mostly smooth or only a few very small pieces of banana are visible. on low speed, beat in the egg, cocoa powder & the cake mix. increase speed to medium-high & beat for 1 minute or until batter is well blended.

spoon an equal amount of batter into the lined muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. bake on the center rack for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

remove cupcakes from the pan & place on the platter in the freezer. freeze for 8 minutes to quickly cool the cupcakes.

while the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. with an electric mixer, beat together the butter & peanut butter until smooth. gradually beat in the 10x sugar & 1 1/2 tsp milk until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. if needed, add up to an extra 1/2 tsp of milk to make frosting smooth. frost cupcakes. sprinkle the tops with an even amount of the chopped peanuts. garnish the tops of each cupcake with a dried banana chip.

makes 10 cupcakes

CAKE BATTER

2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
scant 1 cup buttermilk
1 cup malted milk balls, roughly chopped

MALTED MILK BALL FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups 10x sugar, sifted, OR as needed
1/2 cup half-and-half, or as needed
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup crushed malted milk balls

1/2 cup malted milk balls for garnish (optional)

preheat the oven to 350°. spray or grease & lightly flour three 8″ round cake pans.

sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, & cocoa. set aside.

in a lg bowl, with an electric mixer, cream together the butter & sugar until light & fluffy, about 2 minutes. add the eggs, oil, & vanilla, beating until incorporated. mix in the flour alternately with the buttermilk. mix in the chopped malted milk balls.

pour the batter into the prepared pans. bake in the center of the oven until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. cool the cakes in the pans for 5 minutes. run a knife around the edges of the cake layers to loosen them, then invert onto wire racks & let cool completely.

to make the frosting: in a heavy medium saucepan, combine the butter & cocoa & bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. pour the mixture into a lg bowl. stir in the 10x sugar alternately with the half-and-half until smooth. mix in the vanilla & malted milk balls. if the frosting is too thick, add more half-and-half, 1 tbs at a time. if it is too thin, beat in more sifted 10x sugar, 1/4 cup at a time.

set one cake layer on a plastic plate or cardboard round & frost the top. add a second layer & frost. top with the last cake layer & frost the top & sides of the cake. if desired, garnish with a rim of malted milk balls.

CUPCAKE BATTER

1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

LEMON CURD
(recipe follows)

10x sugar, for sprinkling over cupcakes

preheat the oven to 350°. line a muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.

sift the flour & the baking powder into a medium bowl. set aside.

in a lg bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. set aside.

in a lg bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter & sugar until light, about 2 minutes. add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition. the batter should be smooth. beat in the vanilla & nutmeg. fold in the egg whites.

spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling the cups 3/4 full. bake in the center of the oven for 16-20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

to assemble, cut off the dome of each cupcake & set aside. with a tablespoon remove a spoonful of cake from the center of each cupcake. fill each cavity with lemon curd, & spread the top of the cupcake with more lemon curd. cut each cupcake dome in half & lay the two halves on top of a cupcake, cut side facing out, to resemble butterfly wings. sprinkle with 10x sugar.

makes 12 cupcakes

EASY LEMON CURD

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

in a medium heavy saucepan, whisk together the eggs & sugar. whisk in the lemon juice & butter. cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 6-8 minutes. do not let the lemon curd come to a boil.

pour the lemon curd into a heatproof bowl & cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper. refrigerate until chilled & thickened, about 4 hours.