Rich, Peanut Butter-Topped Chocolate Cupcakes

Rich, Peanut Butter-Topped Chocolate Cupcakes

Hola there, folks! Here's an irresistible, mind-blowing recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes that will knock your socks off! Give it a bash at your next party or office gathering.

Crazy Delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Yield: 24 Tiny, Mouthwatering Treats

Difficulty: Idiot-Proof (But not the finished product once you scarf 'em down)

Time to Happiness: 1 hr 10 mins of pure baking joy, plus 50 mins of mouth-watering cooling time

What You'll Need (so you can dish up the sweet bonanza):

For the Cupcakes:

• 24 paper cupcake liners
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, straight from the bag
• 1 teaspoon baking soda, fresh from the synthetic container
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, because we don't want our cupcakes tasting like cardboard
• 2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, because why use regular when you can go all out with that fancy stuff?
• 2/3 cup boiling water, because that'll make the cocoa do its thing
• 2/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature, because milk is necessary in any self-respecting cupcake recipe
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature, because it makes everything better
• 2 cups granulated sugar, because sugar is a heck of a lot more fun than salt (trust us)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, because vanilla adds a delightful touch of mystery
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature, because raw eggs are a no-go

For the Peanut Butter Frosting and Decorating:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter (24 tablespoons, a pretty hefty amount so don't fancy yourself a butter hog), at room temperature, because more butter means more love
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted natural peanut butter (no sugar added), because that's how real peanut butter aficionados roll
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, because a touch of salt makes sweetness shine
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted, because nobody likes lumpy frosting
• 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, shaved (optional), because a little bit of luxury never hurt nobody

Instructions ( audiences should follow these step-by-step to achieve the lofty goal of creating these mind-blowing treats)

For the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Get your muffin tins lined with the 24 paper cupcake liners, and set them aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set the mixture aside, putting that brain power to rest for the moment.
3. Whisk together the cocoa powder and boiling water in a small bowl until combined. Slowly whisk in the milk; set the concoction aside.
4. Time to whip up that butter! Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and light in color, roughly 3 minutes. The mixture will be like a silky cloud of goodness.
5. Add the sugar and vanilla extract to the fluffy butter, then continue to beat for another 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle attachment with a rubber spatula, because nobody wants to miss out on the deliciousness.
6. Return the mixer to medium-high speed. Add the eggs 1 at a time, ensuring each one gets fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle once more after adding each egg.
7. Time to mix the dry and wet ingredients. Add a third of the flour mixture and turn the mixer to low speed, mixing until the flour is just incorporated. Add half of the cocoa mixture and mix until just incorporated. Repeat the process with the remaining flour mixture and cocoa mixture, alternating and ending with the flour, ensuring the batter is smooth after all the ingredients have been added. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure any lingering flour streaks are incorporated.
8. Divide the batter among the muffin wells (the wells will be about two-thirds full). Place the pans side by side in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pans front to back and side to side and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, approximately 10 minutes more.
9. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely – roughly 40 minutes. While the cupcakes cool, get started on the frosting.

For the Peanut Butter Frosting and Decorating:

1. Place the butter, peanut butter, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on high speed until light, fluffy, and fully incorporated – roughly 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle attachment to ensure the peanut butter frosting is well mixed.
2. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the powdered sugar until it's incorporated, roughly 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle attachment to ensure the sugar is well mixed.
3. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and continue to mix until the frosting is creamy and fluffy – roughly 3 minutes. If you plan on eating the cupcakes within 4 hours, you can go ahead and frost the cupcakes now. If not, refrigerate the frosting until the frosting stiffens, then tent loosely with plastic wrap for up to 3 days. Before serving, let the cupcakes sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes to take the chill off.
4. Go ahead and frost your peanut butter-filled cupcake delights! If you're feeling fancy, add a bit of grated bittersweet chocolate to the top for added luxury.

Enjoy these diabolical little cupcakes and be prepared for the compliments to pour in!

Enrichment Data:

• This recipe is an extraordinary, transcendent blend of rich chocolate cupcakes topped with a luxurious peanut butter frosting. Perfect for a sweet tooth or a chocolate lover!
• The recipe yields 24 tiny, irresistible cupcakes, and the total time it takes to make these treats is 1 hr 10 mins of baking delight, plus cooling time.
• The cupcakes are made with ingredients like all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, granulated sugar, eggs, and milk while the frosting is crafted with unsalted natural peanut butter, creamy unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and bittersweet chocolate for added luxury.
• The cupcakes start with mixing dry ingredients like flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder, then wet ingredients like butter, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, and milk are mixed before the two are combined. The frosting is made by mixing all the frosting ingredients together until it's creamy and fluffy.

Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter and drop it into a small, refrigerated bowl. Add a pinch of fine salt to the chilled peanut butter and let it rest for a few minutes. For a visually captivating touch, consider adding a peanut butter star or butterfly attachment to your piping bag before frosting the cupcakes. Once the salt has had a chance to penetrate the chilled peanut butter, it can be mixed back into the frosting just before piping it onto the cooled cupcakes. This added step adds a delightful burst of flavor and a unique texture to the already mouthwatering Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes.

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