Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

Chocolate and peanut butter just might be one of the most delicious combinations of all time.  So when I came across this recipe months ago, I printed it and knew I would make it one day when I was a little more brave about melting and dipping things in chocolate.  And that day came yesterday.  This cupcake is pretty much a Reese's peanut butter cup in cupcake form--need I say more?

Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes about 24-27 standard sized cupcakes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (best quality available)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)
1 cup boiling water

Directions:
Line muffin tin with paper liners.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.  beat on medium speed for one minute.
Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).
Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.  
Bake cupcakes for approximately 22-24 minutes.  
Cool completely before frosting.


Peanut Butter Frosting
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup softened, unsalted butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural peanut butter)
2 cups powdered sugar
approximately 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Combine butter with peanut butter.  Add powdered sugar.  Then add the heavy cream a little at a time until you get the consistency you like for spreading or piping.


Chocolate Coating

Ingredients:
2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips or baking bar chopped up
2-3 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil

Directions:
Melt chocolate in double boiler or in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (but not touching).  Stir frequently.  Or melt chocolate in the microwave for 2 minutes and then by 30 second intervals until melted.  Once chocolate is smooth, mix in the oil and transfer to a smaller, deeper bowl that will be better for dipping.  Let cool 10-15 minutes before dipping (if chocolate is too hot, frosting will melt when you dip it).  Enjoy!

Amy's Notes:
I have been looking forward to making these cupcakes for weeks now!  I mean, there's no going wrong with the chocolate peanut butter combo.  The chocolate cake recipe is one that I have used in the past and the best one I have at this point.  It makes a little more than a normal recipe.  I made one 9 in round cake (now in the freezer for cake pops later this week), 12 mini cupcakes and 8 regular cupcakes.  This peanut butter frosting is quite possibly some of the best frosting I've tasted.  I had a little leftover and couldn't bear throwing it away so I made a few graham cracker sandwiches for later!  I have to think about it more, but I might try using milk chocolate to dip next time instead of semi-sweet...hmmm, need to think about that one though.   Dipping was a challenge and took a little time to get used to what worked, but that's normal.  Overall, these were awesome!  Yum yum yum!

I would be happy to eat these cupcakes without the chocolate coating!

Here we go....

The mini cupcakes freshly covered in chocolate

Cupcakes freshly covered in chocolate

Looks so pretty!

I drizzled a few of the cupcakes in chocolate instead of dipping them



Mini cupcake once the chocolate hardened



Peanut butter frosting leftovers!