Instructions

For the cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).
2. Make Ritz cracker crumbs by placing Ritz crackers into a plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. You can also use a food processor, but why create extra things to clean?
3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Add in Ritz cracker crumbs. Toss well and set aside.
4. Separate the 3 eggs. Put yolks in one small bowl and whites in another. Whisk the yolks with a fork and set aside.
5. Put the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until the egg whites become frothy. Slowly add in the extra 1/2 cup sugar. Keep beating until egg whites form soft peaks, sort of a marshmallow fluff consistency. Transfer egg whites to another bowl and set aside. Wash and dry the stand mixer bowl and paddle.
6. In the newly dry bowl of your stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and mix together for about 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.
7. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined. Next, add in the egg yolk mixture in three additions making sure to mix well after each addition.
8. On low speed, add the dry ingredients while alternating with adding the whole milk (starting and ending with the dry ingredients).
9. Pour the egg white mixture over the batter and gently fold them together until well combined but not overly mixed.
10. Divide the batter evenly into cupcake liners. Batter will require two cupcake pans or two batches with one.
11. Bake for about 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
12. Cool cupcakes in the cake pans for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack until completely cool.

For the frosting

1. Place the peanut butter and butter in a large mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, about 30 seconds.
2. Stop the machine. Add the confectioners sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and the vanilla. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is well combined, about 1 minute.
3. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the frosting lightens and is fluffy, about 1 more minute. Add one additional tablespoon of milk if the frosting seems too stiff.

Assembly

1. Using your finger or the end of a spoon, press a hole about halfway down into the center of each cupcake. Fill that hole with pure Nutella. You can use a piping bag, a spoon, or whatever method seems the most easy and effective to you.
2. Frost the tops of the cupcakes with the peanut butter frosting. You can use a piping bag, a frosting knife, or just sort of dollop it on with a spoon. Whatever floats your boat! It will taste just as delicious no matter how the frosting is transferred to the cupcake ☺