Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe

I got vetoed (by Lisa and Jane, naturally) because I wanted to name these cupcakes Creamy Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes Dipped in Chocolate Ganache and Topped with Peanut Butter Frosting and a miniature Peanut Butter Cup. Really, not such a mouthful to say, but boy, what a mouthful to eat - these incredibly moist chocolate cupcakes are off the charts delicious.

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups icing sugar
3 tbsp whole milk
Pinch kosher salt

Chocolate Ganache

2 cups chopped semi-sweet chocolate
½ cup heavy cream

Miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, for garnish
Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2) For the cupcakes, in a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, coffee, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake liners until 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely before filling and frosting.

3) For the peanut butter frosting, in an electric mixer, combine butter, peanut butter, vanilla and icing sugar on low speed. Once combined, on medium speed, add milk and a pinch of salt, beating until desired consistency.

4) To fill the cupcakes, using a paring knife, cut out a small cone from the center of each cupcake. Spoon a small amount of peanut butter frosting into each cupcake. Replace cut-out piece of cupcake. Set aside while preparing chocolate ganache.

5) For the chocolate ganache, place the chopped chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil and pour over the chopped chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Dip the top of each filled cupcake into the ganache and let set for 30 minutes before finishing frosting. Once ganache is set, pipe tops of cupcakes with remaining frosting and garnish with miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Yield: 24 cupcakes