Homemade Butterfinger

Only three ingredients separate you from homemade Butterfinger.  Honestly, it is so easy. Chocolate.  Peanut Butter.  Candy Corn. (Candy Corn crazy this week) It almost seems too good to be true!  You can trust me. I did it myself and it works!  Melted candy corn mixed with peanut butter and then dipped in chocolate.  Simple and good.

This is not one of those recipes where someone tells you to mix broccoli and whole wheat and quinoa and chocolate and it tastes just like a brownie.  I hate that stuff by the way.  I'm all for eating healthy, but when I want a brownie, I want a brownie, not something that people would like you to believe is a brownie!  These Homemade Butterfingers though?  Not healthy, but pretty believable as a Butterfinger.  Darling Husband was completely skeptical.  I forced him to try it (who has to be convinced to try homemade candy anyway?) and he liked it! I told him the texture was different, slightly different taste..he said "no, tastes just like a Butterfinger."   Ha! Success!!

While this is super easy, here are a few tips:

Have your peanut butter measured and ready to go, makes it easier to stir it in while the candy corn is still warm.  

Use a pizza cutter for cutting.  The mixture is quite thick and I found a pizza cutter worked best.  

Prepare when you have time to dedicate to minding your microwave and melting.  If you have a maniac toddler, this would best be done at nap time...just a suggestion.

Store in the fridge and sneak chilled bites. I bet it would be even better in the freezer.

Homemade Butterfinger

adapted from Siriously Delicious

3 cups candy corn

1 and 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

milk chocolate chips or candy melts for dipping

Prepare an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.

Melt candy corn in large bowl.  Microwave for one minute, stir and continue to melt in 30 second intervals until completely smooth.  Immediately add peanut butter and stir until incorporated.  Pour into prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.  Keep in fridge for about an hour until mixture has hardened.  Remove from pan and cut into squares or bars or whatever shape you like.

Melt chocolate in microwave at 30 second intervals until completely smooth.  Dip Butterfinger pieces in until completely coated. Place pieces on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and drool until chocolate has hardened.

The texture isn't exactly like the real deal, it's slightly softer.  The flavor is right on though.  Now when you see all those bags of candy corn marked down on November 1st you'll have a reason to snatch them up.  You can thank me later.

Candy Corn Cupcakes

Candy corn is one of those things.  I really only eat it once a year.  Thing is...I eat enough for the whole year.  I just love it!  I like it eat it in sections, white first, then orange, then yellow.  Oh, and you've mixed it with peanuts right?  Instant PayDay candy bar.  Try it now.

This is a super easy cupcake you can make for your upcoming Halloween party.  Don't worry they don't taste like candy corn....that may be a bit much.  You use a box cake mix and just add food coloring. I used my favorite buttercream, but you can definitely use store bought frosting.  Throw a few candy corn on top and you are set! I was bummed that mine didn't look exactly like candy corn. All of the cupcakes I saw on the Interwebs were perfect!   So here's a less than perfect version to make us all feel better.

Candy Corn Cupcakes

one standard vanilla cake mix

food coloring for yellow and orange (I used Wilton food gel)

vanilla frosting

candy corn for garnish

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare muffin tin with paper liners, white works best.  Follow instructions for preparing your cupcakes as listed on the box. Divide batter equally among two bowls. Add yellow food coloring to one bowl and orange to the other.  Using a large spoon divide yellow batter evenly among muffin cups.  Tap pan on countertop a few times to even out the batter.  Repeat with orange batter.  Bake according to cake mix instructions. Once cool, frost as desired and garnish with a candy corn.

I was hoping for more definition in my layers, but they sort of blended.  Still a fun look and I think people still get the idea.  I'm willing to keep trying till I get it just right.  This is the perfect treat to whip up last minute.  Honestly took no time to prepare and they look so festive!  Who knew one little candy could make me so happy?