Peanut Butter Stuffed Dark Chocolate Cupcakes...two ways Recipe
If I had to call any one of my recipes my favorite, I would have to say it is the recipe for my Cream-Filled Cupcakes. I remember thinking it up--I just knew it was going to be the perfect answer to an adult version of that childhood treat. I even got the squiggle on the top! Of course, now you can find Cream-Filled Cupcake recipes all over the Internet. It's OK...although I've tweaked the recipe over the years, my version is still my favorite.
A few weeks ago, my daughter had a birthday. Her usual request is for me to make a Banana Fudge Ice Cream Pie, but this year she was more interested in having me make something her boyfriend would like, namely anything with peanut butter and chocolate. I got to thinking...wouldn't the Cream-Filled Cupcake be good in a peanut butter version?
I made the first batch of cupcakes much like my original recipe, just replacing some of the butter in the filling with peanut butter. They were good. Very good. But, I made the mistake of not putting enough filling in them. The kids were a tad critical, all the while wiping chocolate off of their lips. I decided to try a different approach with the next batch.
For the second batch, I made a different recipe for the actual cupcake. Unfortunately, I over filled the cups in the cupcake pan....whoa...the tops overflowed just a little....
I managed to get them all out in one piece, but they were a bit wide. Then, when it came time to dip them in the ganache, the tops started coming right off! I ended up using a spatula to get the ganache on top, while leaving the cupcakes in one piece.
I also used a different peanut butter filling, remembering how the kids licked the frosting off of the Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes I made awhile back. This time, I not only filled the cupcake with the frosting, but I topped the chocolate ganache with a dab of it as well. Then I capped it with half of a mini peanut butter cup.
My kitchen was warm, so I refrigerated them to allow the ganache to set.
Which cupcake won the taste test? Frankly, on appearance alone, it was divided. Some liked the traditional look of the squiggle on top, but others preferred the cute little peanut butter cup garnish. They both taste great--my daughter preferred the second version and, indeed, the batch I took to work disappeared quickly. Since the second recipe was significantly different, I will post that one here. To make the first version, simply click on the link for Cream-Filled Cupcakes and replace one stick of butter for 1/2 cup peanut butter in the filling.
Peanut Butter Stuffed Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
Cupcake Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 2/3 c. vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 c. buttermilk
- 2 c. flour
- 1 3/4 c. sugar
- 1/2 c. cocoa (use the dark version, if preferred)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. baking soda
- 1 c. hot coffee
- Filling Ingredients:
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 4 tbsp. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
- 2 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp. milk
- Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:
- 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 15 dark chocolate mini peanut butter cups, halved, for garnish
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with paper
liners (about 30).
Combine egg, oil, vanilla and buttermilk. In a large bowl, combine flour,
sugar, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Combine the egg mixture and the flour
mixture, mixing well. Slowly mix in hot coffee. Batter will be thin.
Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 18 to 20
minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.
For the filling, beat together the butter, cream cheese, and
peanut butter in a medium bowl, until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, ½ cup at
a time, beating after each addition. Add the milk and beat until creamy.
Fit a pastry bag with a long narrow tip and fill with peanut butter filling. Insert tip about 1/2 inch deep into the top of each
cupcake and fill cupcake with frosting. Set aside unused filling.
Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat the heavy
cream over low/med heat until it just starts to simmer. Pour the cream over the
chocolate chips and let it sit for 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir the
chocolate chips and the cream until well-blended.
Swirl the top of each cupcake into chocolate glaze, coating
the top of each cake. Let the glaze harden for a few minutes (you can chill
them, if desired), then, using leftover filling, pipe a swirl of buttercream on
top of each cupcake. Garnish each cupcake with 1/2 mini peanut butter cup.
Which one would you choose?