Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

Yum!

I have quite a few friends who enjoy the chocolate and the peanut butter. They go so well together! So, a few weeks ago I was visiting a friend and was barred from entering their (lovely) residence without something involving chocolate & peanut butter. I had defaulted on the previous two visits, so I wanted to whip up something amazing.

I scoured the internet for a variety of chocolate peanut butter cakes, cupcakes, etc. However, I decided to fall back to my trusty chocolate cupcake recipe courtesy of the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. And, since they haven't failed me yet, I referred again to my America's Test Kitchen Cookbook for a peanut butter frosting.

This is a rich, chocolatey, moist cupcake. Thus solving the problem I have with most cupcakes - that they are dry and tasteless. I hope you enjoy it was much as I do!

DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Makes: 24 cupcakes (Medium)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes (plus cooling time)

INGREDIENTS:
16 TBS (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vailla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream

1. Microwave the butter, chocolate, and cocoa together, whisking often, until melted and smooth - 1 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

2. Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

3. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a large bowl. Slowly whisk the sugar until combined. Whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture.

4. Sift one third of the flour mixture over the batter, then whisk it in. Whisk in the sour cream. Sift the remaing flour mixture over the batter and whisk until completely incorporated (the batter will be REALLY thick).

5. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full. I like to use an ice cream scoop to do this! Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with a few crumbs attached, 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.

6. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove from the pans and let cool completely on the racks before frosting, about 1 hour.

QUICK PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Makes: 3 Cups

Total Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
2 TBS heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter (Do not use old-fashioned or natural peanut butter in this recipe!)

1. Stir the cream, vanilla, and salt together in a small bowl until the salt dissolves.

2. Beat the butter with an electric mixture on medium-high speed until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds.

3. Reduce the speed to medium-low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar & peanut butter, and beat until smooth, 2 to 5 minutes.

4. Beat in the cream mixture. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, 4 to 8 minutes.

This frosting can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated...if it lasts that long!

Per usual, I also used the butter cream to fill these cupcakes and topped them with 1/4 of a peanut butter cup.

Enjoy!!