Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

I LOVE birthdays. I love my own birthday but I also love when other people get that joy of "today is my day". It's the best. There just seems to be a glow about people on their birthdays. I also LOVE giving presents, and as a cupcakes baker and blogger, what birthday present is more appropriate than cupcakes? Am I right? My love of birthdays only swells larger when I have the opportunity to bake. So for this birthday, I made peanut butter chocolate cupcakes. Along with birthdays, I also LOVE peanut butter. On my list of favorite condiments, it ranks #2, just after ranch dressing. And of course I am totally fond of chocolate. I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Reese's, Tagalongs, anything with peanut butter and chocolate in the mix, I will eat it. My mouth is watering just thinking about all of the chocolate peanut butter possibilities. Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes are no exception.

Happy Birthday Qdoba Brian!

PEANUT BUTTER CAKE:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Cream together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until completely combined. Add the vanilla and peanut butter. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk until completely combined. Divide batter among lined cupcakes tins and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Heat the cream until almost boiling. Pour over chocolate chips and stir like crazy until the chocolate chips have completely melted an the mixture is thick and gooey. Let cool in the fridge until the cupcakes are completely cooled. When they are ready, dip the tops into the ganache until coated thickly. Let cool in the fridge for a few minutes so you don't get ganache/ frosting mixing happening. If spooning the frosting onto the cupcakes, putting them in the freezer may be better so you aren't smearing them all together over the top of your cupcakes.

PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM:
1 1/2 sticks butter (room temperature)
3 cups powdered sugar
splash of vanilla
about 1/4 cup peanut butter (this is to taste and texture. Add slowly because too much peanut butter can make it really sticky or make the frosting collapse)
heavy cream (optional)

Beat the butter until fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and peanut butter until thoroughly combined. If the frosting gets too thick or sticky, add a splash of heavy cream to calm it down a bit. Whip until fluffy.

Once cupcakes have cooled, dip the tops into the ganache until coated thickly. Let cool in the fridge for a few minutes so you don't get ganache/ frosting mixing happening. If spooning the frosting onto the cupcakes, putting them in the freezer may be better so you aren't smearing them all together over the top of your cupcakes. Once cooled, spoon or pipe the peanut butter buttercream over the top of the ganache!

These were an excellent combination of peanut butter and chocolate. The peanut butter makes the cake and the frosting pretty thick so these cupcakes are perfect with a glass of milk. I think next time, I want to drop a mini Reese's in the middle of the cupcakes before I bake them. It would be such a nice surprise when biting into them!

Don't get these cupcakes stuck to the roof of your mouth!

xoxo,
KG