Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cupcakes

1 package  plain yellow cake mix

3 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil 
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (16.5 oz) refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough, chilled

Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners and set the pans aside.

Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, milk, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes longer, scraping down the sides of the bowl again as needed. 

Set aside about 3/4 cup of the cupcake batter before filling the cupcake pans. Using the rest of the batter, scoop a heaping 1/4 cup of batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way full.  

Unwrap the cookie dough and slice the log lengthwise into four pieces. Then cut each piece into 6 even chunks. Place a chunk of cookie dough on top of each cupcake and push it down into the batter. Top each piece of cookie dough with about 1 teaspoon of the reserved cupcake batter.

Place the pans in the oven and bake the cupcakes until they are golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 18-23 minutes.  Remove the pans from oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and place on wire racks to cool for 15 more minutes before frosting.

FROSTING:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Place the sugar, butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil, 3 minutes. Still stirring, allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute longer, until the sugar dissolves.  Remove pan from heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Continue stirring until the icing is smooth and the chocolate has melted. Let the icing cool in the pan for 5 minutes before using.