Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting! Yum!!

Mmmm, moist chocolate cupcakes with a yummy peanut butter frosting! I tried out the Cook's Illustrated recipe for the chocolate cupcakes (they call for a chocolate ganache filling but I did without) after searching forever for a recipe on the internet that called for ingredients that Adam's mom has in her kitchen. I then found a recipe for the peanut butter frosting from the blog A Dash of Sash. The cupcake was dense, chocolately and supermoist, just the way I like it!! And the PB frosting was super yummy too (Adam's compliment was that it was like he was eating Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch, lol). I would definitely use this recipe again, and I think you should try it out too!

Chocolate Cupcakes (Cook's Illustrated May/June 2010)

• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
• 3/4 cup hot, strong-brewed coffee
• 3/4 cup (4 1/8 ounces) bread flour
• 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar (I didn't find any on hand, so I used 2 tsp lemon juice instead)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Place chocolate and cocoa in a medium bowl, and pour hot coffee over the mixture.  Whisk until smooth, and transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, 20-30 minutes.

Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk oil, eggs, vanilla, and vinegar into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth.  Add flour mixture and whisk until batter is smooth.

Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until cupcakes are set and firm to the touch, 17-19 minutes.  Allow to cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.


Peanut Butter Frosting (A Dash of Sash July 2009)

• 10 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (room temperature)
• 2/3 cup peanut butter
• ~4 cups confectioner's sugar

Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until thoroughly combined.  Beat until the mixture becomes light, fluffy and smooth.
Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time.  After adding 3 or 4 cups, check for the proper amount of sweetness.  Continue adding sugar to taste.  

After adding the sugar, beat until the frosting is a consistent texture, light and fluffy.  Add the peanut butter and mix until completely combined.