Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

It seems cupcakes are all the rage these days. Target has a whole display of cupcake tins, decorations, totes, etc. Bed, Bath, and Beyond had a similar display, and several cupcake cookbooks. I'm susceptible to the power of suggestion. Several blogs specialize in cupcakes, and the photographs and recipes sounds great.

Of course, I've made my share of cupcakes for the kids when they were growing up, usually for bake sales or a quick snack. Usually I use a mix and canned frosting. I don't think I've ever made a homemade batter or a homemade frosting to use for cupcakes. I save the energy for a decorated cake.

For whatever reason, the thought of chocolate and peanut butter struck me as the first scratch cupcake I'd like to try. Barefoot Contessa made these on a recent show, and I was intrigued. She talked about how peanut butter is her very favorite frosting. I've never had peanut butter frosting and wanted to see if it was really as good as she said.

I didn't have time to make the cupcakes, but I had a chocolate cake mix in the pantry. I used Ina's suggestion and added a tablespoon of coffee to the mix. I didn't notice much of a difference of chocolate taste, but then I didn't make a test batch without the coffee.

Well, then I did the frosting. WOW!!! I thought I had gone to heaven when I tasted the first little bit. It reminded me of peanut butter cookie batter when I was growing up - maybe it was using the Skippy peanut butter we have hanging around the house.

So, here are pictures of my semi-homemade version of Ina's recipe - I'll make the chocolate cupcakes one day to see how they taste.

I thought it interesting that she calls it icing instead of frosting. I read up and it says that the use of the two terms are fairly interchangeable - frosting is always icing, but icing is not always frosting. It has to do with the thickness and I think the terms used in that particular part of the country. It was always called frosting in my house. Icing is more of a thin glaze, in my mind.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER ICING
Makes 18 large cupcakes

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Peanut Butter Icing:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup fat free half-and-half

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.

Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture.

Mix only until blended.

Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). The tins should be 2/3 full - too little and the cupcakes will be flat; too much and the tops spread out over the top.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Icing:

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

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 and smooth.

Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.

Per Serving: 463 Calories; 32g Fat (58.9% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 40g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 76mg Cholesterol; 347mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 6 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.