Peanut Butter Cupcakes With Chocolate Ganache Icing Recipes

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line (2) 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners. Spray lightly with non-stick baking spray, and set aside.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside until needed.
• Combine the oil, butter, and chocolate together in a large bowl. Heat in the microwave, in 30 second increments, stirring between increments each time, until the butter and chocolate are completely melted. Set aside and cool while you assemble the other ingredients.
• In a large bowl, combine both sugars, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat until smooth and well combined.
• Gradually add in the melted chocolate mixture, adding a little bit at a time and whisking constantly.
• Gently fold in the flour in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix gently and stop when you can still see the lightest trail of dry ingredients.
• Pour in the hot coffee (or water) and let it sit for 30 seconds, then fold it into the batter until combined.
• Scoop 2 tablespoons of batter into the bottom of each cupcake tin, then press a peanut butter cup into the batter. Top with another 3 tablespoons of batter; each cupcake mold should be 2/3 of the way full.
• Bake, one tray at a time, for 16 to 18 minutes, or until the cupcakes have puffed up and a toothpick (or cake tester) inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs attached.
• Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting!
• In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-speed until completely smooth. Beat in the vanilla.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add in the sugar, adding a 1/2 cup at a time, beating until the sugar has incorporated into the frosting before adding more. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat in the milk.
• Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the frosting is thick and creamy.
• Finally, fold in the beat butter and beat on medium-high for 1 minute. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, to ensure all ingredients have been combined.
• Scrape the frosting into a piping bag fitted with an open star piping tip, like this one.
• Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a small heatproof bowl. Set aside.
• Warm the cream over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Add in the peanut butter and whisk smooth.
• Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute, then whisk smooth. Whisk in the salt.
• Pipe a swirl of peanut butter frosting on top of each cooled cupcake.
• Using a small spoon, slowly drizzle the milk chocolate peanut butter ganache over the top of each cupcake. Start with a little bit, and add more if desired.
• Decorate the edge of each cupcake with a few chopped peanuts. Then press a peanut butter cup (or two!) in the middle of each cupcake! Enjoy!
• These cupcakes are best eaten the day they are made, but will keep, covered and stored at room temperature, for 2 days.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES AND PEANUT BUTTER ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.
• Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.
• Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.
• Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.