I’m going to preface this post by saying that when I’m stressed, I don’t always make the best food choices. My first experience with a Zagnut candy bar (outside of the movie Beetlejuice) came a few months ago when James and I embarked on a DIY project of sorts.
You see, we overhauled our kitchen two years ago. Completely gutted it, started from the ground up, and moved pretty much everything but the sink (and how that stayed in one spot is pure fluke). Our new cabinets, purchased from the cabinet company my mother works for, came complete with crown molding for above and below the cabinets.
I’m a freak about greasy cabinets, and one scrub too hard on the cabinet above the microwave sent the crown molding on one side of the kitchen all crashing down. Turns out this stuff is usually secured by hot glue. If I’d known that, I don’t think the scrubbing would have commenced quite so vigorously.
One Saturday, James and I devoted the day to putting this crown molding back in place. Not wanting to use hot glue again because (clearly) it doesn’t hold all that well, we tried a few other solutions. Three types of glue, two nails, and four hours later, I found myself at Michael’s craft store, in search of a hot glue gun and glue sticks.
Standing in a line that was too long for words, sweaty and frustrated, I suddenly realized I was starving. Like, stuff my face with anything in sight starving. I looked down, and the bright red packaging of a Zagnut stared back at me. I grabbed one as the line inched slowly forward, and read the ingredients.
If you’ve never had a Zagnut, the inside is basically the same as the inside of a Butterfinger. Flaky, crunchy layers of peanut butter goodness. However, the outside of a Zagnut is toasted coconut and vanilla, with a dusting of cocoa powder for good measure.
Once in the car, I might have done some unladylike hoovering of said Zagnut. I admit nothing, but offer the excuse of stress eating caused by a day of ridiculous DIY. Channeling Jamie and her candy-bar-into-dessert genius, I knew – just knew – I had to make Zagnut cupcakes.
Turns out, Jamie ended up doing more than just allowing me to channel her genius. She came out here to Jersey to visit, (along with Megan, Shaina, and Kristen) to attend the Big Summer Potluck, and ended up basically baking the entire batch. After what Jamie deemed a failure in cookie making, we moved on to Zagnut cupcakes as our dessert du jour to take to BSP.
Luckily, they did the trick. I am in love with the super peanut buttery cake. Topped with a simple vanilla buttercream, we then crumbled Zagnuts on top, and shaved a little Hershey’s chocolate on too. The use of a doctored up cake mix means that these cupcakes are incredibly easy to make.
And according to Erika, just the thing for our afternoon tea at BSP.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering? The hot glue held for about 3 weeks. We’re back to the crown molding leaning against the pantry, while I stare up at an unfinished ceiling every morning as my coffee brews. Anyone have any suggestions?
Zagnut Cupcakes
makes 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
1 Duncan Hines Classic Butter Golden Cake Mix*
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 creamy peanut butter (We used Skippy All Natural Peanut Butter with Honey)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup of water, room temperature
*The ingredients listed after the cake mix should be used instead of the ingredients on the back of the box
For the Buttercream Frosting
From My Baking Addiction
4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar (roughly 5 3/4 cups)
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
3 to 5 tablespoons half & half to reach desired consistency
2 Zagnut candy bars for garnish
1 Hershey Chocolate Bar, refrigerated and then shaved into chocolate curls with a potato peeler
Directions
For the Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with liners. Lightly spray the liners and pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, butter, peanut butter, eggs, and water. Mix on medium-high speed until all ingredients are combined and mixed through.
Distribute into cupcake wells 2/3 of the way full. You should have enough batter for 22-24 cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes for approximately 18-21 minutes. When a toothpick placed into the center-most cupcake comes out clean, the cakes are done.
Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
For the Buttercream Frosting
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed. When the butter is fluffy, begin adding powdered sugar in increments.
When all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla extract and beat again. (If you don’t have clear extract, you can use regular pure vanilla extract, but your frosting will not be starkly white.)
Add half and half one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until you reach the desired consistency.
Pipe frosting onto completely cool cupcakes. We used a #1A tip.
Crush Zagnut candy bars into a bowl or ziploc bag. Sprinkle crushed candy bar on top of the fresh frosting.
If desired, use a vegetable peeler to peel slivers of chocolate off a Hershey bar. Sprinkle those on top as well.
Cupcakes are best eaten within two days of baking. Keep them refrigerated until serving.
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t think I’ve ever even seen Zagnuts but they sound great, especially if they’re similar to Butterfingers. :) Love that there’s not a mountain of frosting! I guess most people like it but I wipe off most of it.
It must be so fun to have blog buddies come over and bake! I’ve only had this experience once and it was the best time ever in the kitchen.
Erin, they’re sort of a “legacy” candy.. for some reason, Michael’s sells all the old school stuff that no one else does anymore, like Fruit Stripe gum and whatnot.
I totally agree with you about having buddies over to bake. It was super fun!
I didn’t know Fruit Stripe gum wasn’t a common brand anymore. Next time I go to Texas, I’ll have to go to Michael’s to check out the candy and see what I can find from my childhood.
Oh, and I bought my first mango today! Only bought it because of you. You’ve done a good deed by inspiring someone who needs to eat more fruits and veggies to try a new one. :)
Hooray! I hope you like it :)
THANK YOU for posting this, they were amazing, I have found myself thinking about them on occasion, can’t wait to make these!
Hah! Mary Kay, I had no idea they made such an impression. Let me know what the kiddos think!
Yes, well I have a problem! Will let you know how they go over – not surprisingly we have 1 anti-peanut butter kid (seriously are these kids even mine?!)
Too funny. If it helps, James is anti-peanut butter too. How did I marry him again?
I’m with Erin–I’ve never heard of these candy bars! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for them the next time I hit up a Michael’s, though…
Tara, you must! They are super duper yummy.
I don’t think I have ever had a Zagnut before! I must head to Michael’s and find one ASAP!
And since we are smack dab in the middle of a kitchen remodel, I will hide my glue guns when it comes time for molding :)
Oh God, Shelly, I had no idea. I’m glad you broke away for dinner last night! Any chance you could ask your remodeling guys for any recommendations on how to fix this ridiculous problem? A lot of people seem to nail/glue the stuff to the ceiling, but that’s before the cabinets are installed.. Ours are pretty much THERE for good. The other thing is that our cabinets go all the way to the ceiling, minus the gap for the crown molding. If I had it to do over again, I think I would probably leave them a little lower. *Sigh*
I’ve never had a Zagnut, but I’m obsessed with these cupcakes! They made my day at BSP. Thanks for the recipe!
How quickly we forget! Aimee, you totally ate a Zagnut in our room at BSP. They were scattered on the coffee table, remember? You were like, “Are these fair game?!”. Haha – baby brain ;)
If yinz were from Pittsburgh, you would TOTALLY know what a Zagnut is (along with a Clark Bar, another old-time Pittsburgh-made candy bar). Hometown pride, baby!
And who needs crown molding anyway?
I’ve had many a Clark bar. NOMS.
I love reading about DIY failures. Do you ever watch that show Renovation Reality? They basically follow a couple as they attempt a renovation and make fun of them the entire time. Ok, well, it’s not the nicest thing I participate in, but it makes me laugh regardless.
Love these cupcakes :)
I have not seen this show, and I think I would probably cringe the ENTIRE SHOW. You laugh now, missus, but now you’re a homeowner. Your time is coming. Bahaha. ;)
Never had a Zagnut, but it sounds pretty similar to a Chick-O-Stick… or am I totally wrong?
Hey Michelle -
Man, I have’t had a Chick-O-Stick in FOREVER! They completely slipped my mind. Zagnuts are identical in texture to chick-o-sticks, but have vanilla extract in them, and a dusting of cocoa powder as well as toasted coconut on the outside, which I think changes the flavor profile slightly. You could definitely use them interchangeably here though, for the cupcake topping.
Um, how come I’ve never heard of this amazingness known as a Zagnut before? I LOVE Butterfingers, but if Zagnuts add my all-time fave, coconut, to the mix?? I need them NOW. These cupcakes look rockin’, btw!
You must search them out, Hayley. One phenomenal candy bar. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
I’m relatively new to the peanut butter & chocolate combination but these cupcakes make me regret all the years I wasted not eating it! I must rectify that ASAP ;)
Brits have been missing out on it for years, Kathryn, so don’t feel bad! My crazy husband is anti-peanut butter, so when I make peanut buttery things, they’re all mine mine mine. I’m glad that peanut butter is starting to become more popular in England. When I lived there, the only peanut butter I could find was imported Skippy at 5 quid for a tiny jar. I paid it though. Oh how I paid!
I’ve never heard of a Zagnut bar before – I’ll have to look for this. I think peanut butter and chocolate is my most favorite indulgent combination. Gorgeous photos btw.
Thanks, Allison! I’m honestly surprised at how well they turned out. I took them in a 10 minute rush when we were trying to get out the door to the conference. Pure and total luck that the lighting was with me!
Oh, I haven’t had a Zagnut bar in YEARS! There’s so few places in South Dakota that sell them, so I swipe tons like a crazy hoarder whenever I see them. I never would’ve thought of putting them into cupcake form, but as soon as I find some, that’s exactly what I’m doing!
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