Continuing on their quest for the perfect cupcake, my mom and Aaron were cooking up a storm in the kitchen tonight making what turned out to be an amazingly fantastic chocolate and peanut butter cupcake filled with cream peanut butter and layered with melted liquid milk chocolate.
The chocolate peanut butter cupcakes Aaron and my mom made tonight ...
Here are some pictures of the work in progress …
The chocolate peanut butter cupcake batter was whisked and folded in metal bowls before being transferred to the mixer.
The peanut butter chocolate cupcake mix was spooned into paper cupcake holders and placed in the metal cupcake pan.
The baked chocolate peanut butter cupcakes came out of the oven and had to cool for a few moments.
Next came the peanut butter filling and melted chocolate, which was chopped by hand before being melted in glass bowls and piped into the cupcakes.
Pouring in chocolate to be melted ...
The cupcakes were dipping in chocolate first, then ...
... the peanut butter was piped into and spooned upon the cupcakes.
Afterward, I went into my home office and started working on the same projects that have kept me up all week after making another fresh pot of coffee in the French press.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe
Here is the recipe they used to make the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes …
Cupcake Highlights
- Recipe makes 24 chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes
- Total time required is 3 hours
- Total active time required is 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and position 2 racks in the lower and middle third of the oven. Line 24 muffin cups with paper or foil liners.
- Put the cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl. Add the boiling water and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Whisk in the buttermilk until combined. In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 sticks of the butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then beat in the dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with the cocoa mixture. Carefully spoon the cupcake batter into the lined muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are springy. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, beat the peanut butter with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until creamy. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into the bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spoon all but 3 tablespoons of the peanut butter filling into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch star tip. Holding a cupcake in your hand, plunge the tip into the top of the cake, pushing it about 3/4 inch deep. Gently squeeze the pastry bag to fill the cupcake, withdrawing it slowly as you squeeze; you will feel the cupcake expand slightly as you fill it. Scrape any filling from the top of the cupcake and repeat until all of the cupcakes are filled.
- In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Off the heat, add the semisweet chocolate to the cream and let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk the melted chocolate into the cream until smooth. Let the chocolate icing stand until slightly cooled and thickened, about 15 minutes. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the icing, letting the excess drip back into the pan. Transfer the cupcakes to racks and let stand for 5 minutes. Dip the tops of the cupcakes again and transfer them to racks. Spoon the remaining 3 tablespoons of peanut butter filling into the pastry bag and pipe tiny rosettes on the tops of the cupcakes.
Recommended Serve Time
The cupcakes are best served the same day they are made, but they can be refrigerated overnight in an airtight container.
