Chocolate Peanut Butter Perfection

It has taken me years to find the perfect chocolate peanut butter cupcake recipe.  With a combination of moist chocolate cake, sweet peanut butter filling, chocolate ganache, and a brown sugar peanut butter meringue buttercream, this one is definitely a winner! 

Ingredients: Makes 24 Cupcakes
Cake
2 Cups Sugar
1 3/4 cups All purpose or cake flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.  Dark cocoa or dutch processed cocoa also works beautifully here.
1 oz grated baking chocolate- I like 60% cacao from Ghirardelli.
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strongly brewed coffee at room temperature (This thins the batter considerably; I am not a coffee drinker so I often omit this ingredient.  Without the coffee, the batter is much thicker)
1/2 cup canola, coconut, or vegetable oil
2  large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract. Bourbon vanilla is best in my opinion.

Filling:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tblsp melted unsalted butter, slightly warm but not hot
1 cup powdered sugar
2-4 tblsp milk

Chocolate Ganache:
2 cups 60% cacao chocolate chips (12 oz)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Peanut Butter Meringue Buttercream
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter.

 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and grated chocolate.  Whisk the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk to blend.  *If you're using the coffee, the batter will be very thin*

3. Fill paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

4.  In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, powdered sugar, and milk.  Whisk until smooth.  Add more milk until a frosting consistency is obtained. When cupcakes have cooled, fit a piping bag with a small, round tip and fill bag with peanut butter filling.  Insert tip into the center of each cupcake. Aim to pipe about a tablespoon of filling into each cupcake.  Alternatively, you can use a cupcake corer to remove the center of the cupcake. 

5. Pour cream into a suacepan.  Bring just to a low biol, then take off heat. Add chocolate chips, and cover with saucepan lid for about 10 minutes. Whisk ganache until smooth. Dip the top of each cupcake into ganache; place on wire racks to set.

*Ganache is NOT scary. It makes everything more delicious! Leftover ganaghe can be frozen for up to 3 months, used as a whipped frosting, cupcake filing, or even drizzled on ice cream.  Corn syrup can be added to ganache to give it a shiny finish*

6. Now it's time to make the meringue buttercream. A stand mixer and electric hand mixer are needed for this frosting.  You can use an electric hand mixer alone, but it will take a lot of mixing time to get the meringue to the stiff peak stage. In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, egg whites, salt and cream of tartar over low heat.  With a hand mixer, beat on low speed for a minute.  Continue beating on low over low heat until frosting reaches 160 degrees, about 10 minutes.  Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer; add vanilla. Beat on high until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.

7. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.  If mixture begins to look curdled, keep beating.  Continue adding butter and beating until smooth. This entire process can take 10-15 minutes.  Beat in peanut butter and mix until smooth.
       Your frosting could look curdled like this.   You did nothing wrong. Keep beating until your buttercream becomes smooth!

8. Place buttercream in a large pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.  Pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge.  Let stand at room temperature before serving.


These are sure to be a big hit!

Keep Calm and Cupcake On
-Tori