Sugar High Friday #13-The Dark Side

[Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling]

Thanks to a wonderful theme conjured up by one of my favourite sweet food blogs, Kelli of lovescool, I made a batch of sweet delights I have been anxious to try for months.

When I thought about what I would prepare for my submission to Sugar High Friday, I was torn between the sweet and the savory.  At first, a Mexican mole came to mind, using the signature Mexican chocolate.  Then I thought to myself,  this is "sugar" high Friday afterall, and only desserts provide the amount of sugar required for a valid high.  Enter the sweet Food & Wine recipe for a decadent cupcake that remembers childhood bliss yet still manages to be suave under a dark chocolate coat.

Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling

3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup buttermilk
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks plus 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position 2 racks in the lower and middle third of the oven.  Line 24 muffin cups with paper or foil liners.

Put the cocoa powder in a medium, heatproof bowl.  Add the boiling water and whisk until smooth paste forms.  Whisk in the buttermilk until combined.  In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 sticks of butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then beat in the dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with the cocoa mixture.  Carefully spoon the cupcake batter into the lined muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 full.  Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until cupcakes are springy.  Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, beat the peanut butter with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until creamy.  Sift the confectioner's sugar into the bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Spoon all but 3 tablespoons of the PB filling into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch star tip.  Holding a cupcake in your hand, plunge the tip into the top of the cake pushing it about 3/4 -inch deep.  Gently squeeze the pastry bag to fill the cupcake, withdrawing slowly as you squeeze; you will feel the cupcake expand slightly as you fill it.  Scrape any filling from the top of the cupcake and repeat until the cupcakes are filled.

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer.  Off the heat add the semisweet chocolate to the cream and let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk the melted chocolate into the cream until smooth.  Let the chocolate icing stand until slightly cooled and thickened, about 15 minutes.  Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the icing, letting the excess drip back into the pan.  Transfer the cupcakes to racks and let stand for 5 minutes.  Dip the tops of the cupcakes again and transfer them to racks.  Spoon the remaining 3 tablespoons of peanut butter filling into the pastry bag and pipe tiny rosettes on the tops of the cupcakes.

Now dive into deep, dark, intense cakey treats!

Comments

[Luisa]

So funny - I've had this recipe clipped for a long while now, it just looks like such a fun thing to make (and delicious, too!). I'm glad that I can read about you having tried it! The cupcakes look gorgeous.

[LisaSD]

I briefly considered mole too..

These cupcakes look scrumptious...with my daughter being allergic to nuts I don't get to bake/cook with them nearly as much as I'd like, and I'm really enjoying this vicarious treat!

[chronicler]

Mmmm. Very original entry! Love the penaut butter addition and wow oh wow what a great entry!

[boo_licious]

Yummy stuff, I love cupcakes and these ones look so gooood.

[Jeff]

You're killin' me here!

[Nic]

Mmm. Looks delicious!
I originally thought of Mole, too, but stopped myself when I remembered that this was not IMBB.