Sweets for the Sweet

Our son turns twenty today. Twenty! I can't believe it :\ Rather than allow the thought to fully sink in and rattle about my brain, I am going to share his birthday treat and get back to the garage... which I have fully destroyed, again, in order to get to the spot where I will set up the new shelving, then put it all back.

By the numbers, this isn't as eeevil as the Pot de Crème, but, shoo, it is wicked sweet and definitely not kosher by the Mister's and my dietary habits. I can only pray the kids will plow through it before I have a middle-of-the-night lapse in senses.

Death by Reese's

1 box yellow cake mix
1-16 oz jar (doesn't have to be exact, 15-18 oz will do) natural creamy peanut butter, divided as 1 c and [rest]
1-1/2 tsp Ener-G + 2 tbs water (or 1 egg)
1/3 c water
~27 mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped
16 oz Reese's Pieces (or peanut butter M&Ms)
12 oz bag semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven according to box directions and prepare a 9" x 9" baking pan by spraying bottom lightly.

Whisk together water (1/3 c + 2 tbs) and Ener-G (or beat egg and 1/3 c water together) in medium mixing bowl; add in dry cake mix and 1 c peanut butter; stir or beat with mixer until thoroughly combined. Spread evenly into prepared pan, smoothing with moistened fingers (water or cooking spray) to an even consistency.

Stud [cake] with peanut butter cups in a staggered pattern and pop into the oven for 30-35 minutes or until done (cake will pull away from pan and edges will brown slightly). Transfer from oven to wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Once cake is cooled, combine the rest of the peanut butter and bag of chocolate chips in a double broiler set-up over medium heat; stir until chips have melted and everything is well mixed. Pour chocolate mixture over cake, spreading to edges. Top with Reese's Pieces and chill, uncovered, in the refrigerator until chocolate is set.

Remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature before serving. May be stored at room temperature.

Makes 40 1"x2" bars with a 1"x1" square remaining.

Calories: 242.4 | Total Fat: 12.9 g | Cholesterol: 0.0 mg | Sodium: 167.9 mg | Total Carbs: 21.0 g | Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g | Sugars: 13.9 g | Protein: 3.8 g | Vit. A: 0.0% | Vit. C: 0.0% | Calcium: 0.8% | Iron: 2.5%
Full* nutrition can be found here.
*Since a lot of the ingredients are packaged, a good portion of the nitty-gritties of nutrition information is missing.

It's a shame the home improvement centers don't lease help-for-the-day. I could totally use an assistant with greater upper body strength than mine! C'est la vie and back to the grind. ... or grunt, as the case is ;)