Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

I'm not happy with how this cupcake looks. Not happy at all. Everyone has said they look fine, but if you knew the picture I had of them in my head before I started, you'd think these are pretty ugly, too. But looking at the bright side, they at least look better than these guys, which were my first attempt at a peanut butter frosting:

Haha! Look at how boring and ugly these ones look. Thankfully, is was at this point that the decorative bug took over me.


I have something to tell you, though. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but just in case you missed it:

I hate peanut butter.

Yes, 'tis true. I can't stand the stuff. My mom says even when I was a baby I'd just spit it right out when she gave it to me. Some people get offended when you flip them off; I get offended when you eat a PB&J within 20 feet of me. The smell... oh, the smell! I couldn't imagine anything worse than being forced to eat peanut butter. May it never be.


So why, then, am I making Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes? Well, despite my hatred for PB, I recognize that a majority of the population does not share my distaste for the stuff... in fact, many of them quite like it. And I happen to live in a house with 10 other people, several of whom have said that I should make a peanut butter cupcake. *Sigh* I do it for the people, friends, I do it for the people.


And indeed, the people were pleased. I've gotten several compliments on these guys, so even though I haven't eaten them myself, I feel confident enough in them to share the recipe with you.


Chocolate Cupcakes

Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Makes 24 cupcakes

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup butter, melted

4 tablespoons sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk egg and brown sugar until smooth and no lumpsremain. Add milk, cream, butter and vanilla, and mix until combined. Stir insour cream. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture. Mix untilbatter is smooth. Line a muffin tin with liners and using a 1/4 cup measure,add batter to each cup. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

Peanut Butter Buttercream

Adapted from How Sweet It Is
1 cup peanut butter
5-6 cups of powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons of milk

3/4  cup butter,softened

1 pinch of salt

Cream butter and peanut butter together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add 5 cups of powdered sugar and mix well. Add milk and vanilla extract. Mix until frosting is smooth. If too thick, add more milk; if too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Chocolate Ganache
6 ounces chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream


Put chocolate chips in a bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium high until it comes to a boil. Immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed. Set aside to cool and harden.

When I did my ganache, I didn't wait long enough for it to harden and it was still too soft to pipe. I envisioned it being a pretty flower on top, but I ran out of time (I had the have the cupcakes ready at 7pm) so I went ahead and just dumped a bit of the ganache on top and a little pile. Totally not as cute as I wanted it to be, but oh well. I would definitely recommend making the ganache first, so that way it'll have plenty of time to stiffen up while you're making the cupcakes and frosting. 


Also, I really wanted to put a peanut on top. How cute would that have been? But like I said, I was out of time and I didn't have any peanuts, so it didn't happen. If I ever make these again I'll definitely plan ahead for that and get some at the store.
Enjoy! Unless you're sensible, like me, and don't like peanut butter, in which case I'm sorry. You can rest assured that my next recipe with have no trace of the wretched stuff in it. 

PS. They also make great goofy eyes. 

Just sayin'.