Day 53 – Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cookie Frosting

There are so many versions of the chocolate cupcake with some addition of peanut butter.  So many.  I’m not saying I’m gonna try all of them…but there won’t be a shortage.  That’s for sure!  Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cookie Frosting (recipe below from iVillage).

    

These cakes have a good, classic cupcake texture and density.  Maybe a touch on the dry side.  The mini has an almost bitter flavor, so I don’t recommend them.  The full-size has a nice, soft chocolate flavor.

         

The ganache is smooth and creamy.  Nice – not too bitter, not too sweet.  (And, the ganache on the full-size cupcake was working for the camera!!)

The frosting is thick and easy to maneuver.  It tastes like a sweet, whipped peanut butter.  Not overly sweet.

    

There’s a nice balance between all 3 parts.  The ganache brings out the chocolate in the cupcake and the frosting provides a nice, salty taste.  (Note: the full-size is WAY better than the mini.)

Scoring Sheet:

– Cupcake Taste: 3

– Frosting Taste: 4

– Overall Taste: 4

– Appearance: 5 (I mean, seriously!)

– Ease of Making: 3.5 (3 parts, but ganache & frosting are both very easy!)

– TOTAL: 19.5

RECIPE (from iVillage)

Ingredients:

1 cup strong, hot brewed coffee

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

For directions visit iVillage.

*Tomorrow: Chocolate Oreo Cupcakes*