fun-size or 21 mini chocolate-coated caramel and creamy nougat bars
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate-Marshmallow frosting
Garnishes: chopped frozen fun-size chocolate-coated caramel, creamy nougat bars
Melt candy bars and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
Beat sugar and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer about 3 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
Combine flour and salt. Stir together buttermilk and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in melted candy bar mixture and vanilla. Place 36 paper baking cups in muffin pans; spoon batter evenly into paper baking cups, filling two-thirds full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pan, and let cool completely on wire racks. Spread cupcakes evenly with Chocolate-Marshmallow Frosting. Garnish, if desired.
