Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes for Halloween

So remember these guys? Our friends, Katie and Mike hosted a fun Halloween party last weekend and baked some Halloween cupcakes to share. I also wore a costume I think all my readers will love, but I'm still trying to track down a photo of it. My mom gave me the super-cute paper liners and I decorated them similarly to the Dulce De Leche Pumpkin Cupcakes from The Sweetest Kitchen that I blogged about earlier this week. For the spiders, I used those cheapo plastic rings that you often find in Halloween goody bags.

I was really excited about this recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes I found on the blog, Beantown Baker. I am a peanut butter fanatic (see this post) and used the Confetti Cakes' Chocolate Cake recipe that I've seen out there over and over. Several people have told me that this is the BEST Chocolate Cake recipe so I couldn't wait to test it out.

It's disappointing to admit, but the cake wasn't that great. It was a bit dry. Maybe I should have undercooked the cupcakes, but then the filling wouldn't work. I was relying on the filling to moisten up the cupcakes but it was too thick to seep into the cake. I guess I would recommend that you use a bit more cream in the granache filling and make sure not to over-cook the cupcakes. The peanut butter frosting was AMAZING though, definitely a keeper and a re-user. As for finding that perfect chocolate cake recipe, I think I'll keep looking...

Chocolate Cupcakes

from The Confetti Cakes Cookbook by Elisa Strauss and Christie Matheson

Makes 25-30 cupcakes

2 2/3 cups AP flour

1 cup + 2 Tbsp Unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup (8 oz) sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 eggs

1 cup strong coffee

Preheat the oven to 350'F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.

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

In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, vanilla, and almond extract. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitter with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until smooth.

Set the mixer to low speed and add the eggs, one at a time, scraping thoroughly between each addition.

Alternately add the flour and sour cream mixtures to the butter mixture in two batches, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl after each addition.

Gradually pour in the coffee. Scrape down the bowl and beat until thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans or muffin tins, bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until they spring back after being touched.

Allow to cool for 20 minutes.

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing

from Ina Garten

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

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.

Chocolate Ganache

(you're gonna have TONS leftover!)

from Beantown Baker

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate

3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

In saucepan bring whipping cream to boil over high heat. Place chocolate (both kinds) into a heat-proof bowl.

Pour hot whipping cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted.

You can add more cream if your ganache is too thick to spread.

To assemble the cupcakes:

Using the cone method, remove some of the cooled cupcake and set aside. Drop a few pieces of cut up mini Reece's peanut butter cups to the hole in the cupcake. Spoon some ganache in the hole.

Replace the top of the cupcake. Frost with peanut butter frosting.

Oh, and check out this Papyrus Greeting Card my parents gave me for Halloween. Isn't it the cutest card you have ever seen??? Thanks Mom and Dad!!