Reese Peanut Butter Cupcakes

FEATURED ON FOODBUZZ.COM'S TOP 9 (04/20/10) HOW COOL!! :)

CUPCAKES ARE BACK! So I had my week or two of healthy cooking and eating and it did not really do much good...the ice cream in the freezer kept calling my name at all hours of the night. I have been itching to make a batch of rich and delicious cupcakes! Lucky for me, a friend of mine volunteered my cupcake baking services to a coworker for covering a less-than ideal shift. She came over today and we came up with these delightful treats. We made a cupcake version of my favorite chocolate candy...a reese cup! I got the cake recipe from a book I have called  "Cupcakes" by Shelly Kaludunski. The filling and frosting were kind of my own little creations.

Reese Peanut Butter Cupcake

A chocolate cupcake filled with a peanut butter chocolate reese candy filling, topped with peanut butter frosting and half of a reese cup

Ingredients:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I hate when they give you ounces! 3 oz is a little less than 1/2 cup. I used chocolate chips)
1/2 cup plus 3tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
peanut butter chocolate reese cup filling (recipe follows)
peanut butter frosting (recipe follows)
6 miniature reese cups, for topping

Directions:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan. Stir frequently until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, 10-15 minutes.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture until combined. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition, and then beat in the vanilla. Gently fold in the flour mixture just until no traces of flour remain; do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let it cool completely, about 1 hour.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Reese Cup Filling

Ingredients:

3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped reese cups
about 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

In a stand mixer, beat together peanut butter and vanilla on low. Slowly add the powdered sugar. once incorporated, add in the chopped reese cups. Then add heavy whipping cream until you reach desired creaminess.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 lb confectioners sugar, sifted
3/4 cups smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 tbsp heavy whipping cream

Directions:

In a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth, on low. Slowly add in confectioners sugar, once incorporated, beat on medium for about a minute. Add in the peanut butter until creamy, then add in vanilla. Once incorporated, add in whipping cream until frosting reaches desired consistency. Beat on medium for about a minute. (scrape down the sides throughout as needed so that all of the ingredients are getting incorporated equally into the mixture).

To fill cupcakes, I used the hollowing technique (I prefer using a Wiltons 230 tip for filling, but the chocolate in the filling will clog the tip). To hollow a cupcake use a pairing knife inserted at an angle and gently saw a circle. You want to end up with a cone-shaped piece about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and about 1 inch deep. typically you discard (or eat) the cones, but I cut off half of the bottom and placed them on top of the filling. To frost the cupcakes, I went around the outline of the cone and frosted as I normally would with a wilton 1 m tip.

I am absolutely in love with these cupcakes. Peanut butter and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations. Also, if you can't tell already, I love cupcakes with surprises in the middle! Its kind of one of my things! :) Just a few sidenotes...this cake is kind of like a brownie, it has a crackle top and a moist center. This would be extra fabulous with a devils food cake; that was my origional plan but I didn't have all of the ingredients. Can't go wrong with any kind of chocolate cake though! Enjoy!

PS: I have named my new pride and joy (my beautiful pink kitchenaid mixer) Cynthia. She is definitely a Cynthia and she is my new best friend. We shall have many good times ahead of us together!