Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cupcakes.

When it comes to food; I don't think there is anything I like more than chocolate and peanut butter. The rich, salty peanut butter against the sweet,decadent chocolate; for me, it is just perfection. As such, this recipe is one of my all-time favourite cupcake recipes and I hope it becomes one of yours too! Again this recipe uses my favourite chocolate cake recipe to create a lovely, moist chocolatey sponge filled with rich, dark chocolate ganache and sweet, creamy peanut butter pudding. Top it all off with a swirl of fluffy peanut butter frosting and a sprinkle of mini Reese's peanut butter cups and you're good to go! So please, go devour them happily! Some things taste just too good to worry about the waistline. 

Recipe

For the Chocolate Cupcakes-

110g unsalted butter, softened

220g dark brown sugar

2 eggs

165g self-raising flour

55g cocoa

1/2 tsp. bicarbonate soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

140ml sour cream

For the Chocolate Ganache-

100g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

100ml double cream

For the Peanut Butter Pudding-

30g Golden caster sugar   
1 1/4 tsp. cornflour
pinch of salt 
100ml evaporated milk 
30ml double cream 
30g peanut butter 
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Peanut Butter Frosting-

220g icing sugar

200g creamy peanut butter

140g unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

160ml double cream

To top the cupcakes- 24 Reese's Mini Peanut Butter Cups (chop 12 into tiny pieces and keep 12 whole)

Method

1. Start by preparing the cupcakes. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin cases and pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

2. For the chocolate cupcakes, cream together the butter and sugar using an electric whisk. Gradually beat in the eggs and add the sour cream. Sieve together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and delicately fold into the mixture.

3. Divide the mixture into the 12 cake cases and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the sponge springs back when the surface is pressed lightly.

4. Place the cupcakes on a wire rack and allow to cool.

5. While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the chocolate ganache. Heat the cream until it simmers and stir in the dark chocolate until it completely melts and produces a glossy, dark chocolate ganache. Allow to cool until it thickens slightly but, not too much as it will be difficult to fill the cupcakes.

6. Next, prepare the peanut butter pudding. Whisk together the caster sugar, salt and cornflour in a saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in the milk, then cream. Whisk over medium heat until the mixture comes to the boil. Then boil until thick, whisking constantly for about 30 seconds. Whisk in the peanut butter; boil until thick again, whisking often for about 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Set the pan aside to cool.

7. Once the cupcakes are cool use an apple corer to cut out a dip/hole in the centre of each cupcake and once the ganache and pudding are cool fill each dip/hole with 1 tsp. chocolate ganache and 1 tsp. peanut butter pudding. 

8. Finally, prepare the peanut butter frosting. Place the icing sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light, pale and smooth. Finish by piping each cupcake with a swirl of peanut butter frosting, scatter with the chopped reese's mini peanut butter cup pieces and pop a whole peanut butter cup on the top.