Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

This weekend is packed with celebrations... birthdays and Father's Day, so this gave me an excuse to make something sweet. Peanut butter with chocolate is a combination that most people enjoy, so I knew this would be safe (I've got some daring flavors that I want to try in the future).

These cupcakes came together really nice, but there's one think I would change next time. I used Mexican vanilla because that's the only kind I had on hand. While I love Mexican vanilla in ice cream and grape salad, it competed with the the chocolate flavoring a little more than I wanted. Next time I'll I make these using my trusty Madagascar Bourbon vanilla. 

The frosting stole the show! All of the ingredients came together perfectly, and the heavy whipping cream added a nice fluffy texture. You'll surely need a big glass of milk when you pop one of these in your mouth. Pure yum!


Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350-degrees F. (If you are using a non-stick muffin pan, heat the oven to 325-degrees F.) Line a standard-size muffin pan with baking cup liners.

Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted, and whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.

Divide the batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.

Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on a wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing (about 30 minutes).

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Source: Brown Eyed Baker ... originally adapted from Cook's Illustrated


Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
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.

Yield: enough to frost 12 cupcakes

Source: Brown Eyed Baker ... originally from Ina Garten