Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Tame that chocolate peanut butter sweet tooth with these moist, chocolate-y cupcakes with a peanut butter Oreo surprise, topped with creamy peanut butter frosting, and garnished with a Reese’s mini peanut butter cup.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake

• 1 1/4 cups (160 grams) all-purpose flour

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (112 grams

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 3 tbsp canola, or vegetable oil

• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter

• 3 oz bittersweet chocolate chips (60%)

• 3/4 cup (142 grams) brown sugar

• 1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs, and 1 large egg yolk, room temp

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup (227 grams) full fat sour cream

• 1 cup (227 grams) freshly boiled hot coffee

• 24 peanut butter Oreo cookies

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line (2) 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.  Spray lightly with non-stick baking spray, and set aside.

• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

• Combine oil, butter, and chocolate together in a large bowl.  Heat in the microwave, in 15-30 second increments, stirring between increments each time, until the butter and chocolate are completely melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool while you assemble the other ingredients.

• In a large bowl, combine sugars, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat until smooth and well combined.

• Gradually add in the melted chocolate mixture, adding  a little bit at a time and whisking constantly.

• Gently fold in the flour in 3 additional, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour.  Mix gently and stop when just combined.

• Pour in the hot coffee and let sit for 30 seconds, then fold it into the batter until combined.

• Scoop 2 tablespoons of batter into the bottom of each cupcake tin, then press an Oreo cookie into the batter.  Top with 2-3 tablespoons of batter so that each cup is about ⅔ full.

• Bake, one tray at a time, for 16-18 minutes, or until the cupcakes have puffed up and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

• Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting

• 1 ¾ cups (396 grams) unsalted butter, very soft

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 5 cups confectioner’s sugar

• ¼ tsp salt

• 4 tbsp milk

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

Instructions

• In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-speed until completely smooth.  Beat in vanilla.

• Reduce speed to low and slowly add in sugar, adding ½ cup at a time, beating until the sugar has been well incorporated, before adding more.  Once all of the sugar has been added, beat in the milk.

• Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 3-4 minutes, or until the frosting is thick and creamy.

• Finally, fold in the peanut butter and beat on medium-high for 1 minute.  Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, to ensure all ingredients have been combined.

• Scrap the frosting into a piping bag.

Garnish

• 24 Reese’s mini peanut butter cup

Assembly

• Pipe a swirl of peanut butter frosting on top of each cooled cupcake.

• Press a peanut butter cup in the middle of each cupcake and enjoy!