"…K-I-S-S-I-N-G/First comes Love/Then Comes Marriage …" well, you know how the rest of the rhyme goes.
When I think of food marriages, I think of warm bread slathered with soft butter, a freshly-baked chocolate chip cookie and a cold glass of milk, golden fried potatoes and a sprinkling of sea salt … I could go on!
The grandest marriage of all, however, has to be chocolate and peanut butter. Whether it’s a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or your own Nutella and peanut butter sandwich, the two are made to go together.
The idea of chocolate and peanut butter joined in marital bliss came to me last week. I was at work, stressed out and ready to attack a poor, defenceless bar of Lindt milk chocolate when I suddenly developed a massive craving for chocolate and peanut butter. The little light in the refrigerator in my head went on. I remembered an issue of Food & Wine magazine that had the most tantalizing recipe: Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling.
Once home, I headed straight for the overburdened bookshelf where I keep copies of food magazines. For once I felt glad that I’m a magazine pack rat. There it was … bottom shelf … third magazine holder … the April 2004 issue of Food & Wine!
Excitedly I headed up to the kitchen and began pulling out ingredients. Cocoa powder. Check. Buttermilk. Check. Butter (like I would ever be caught without butter). Check. Peanut Butter. Check. Heavy cream (like I would ever be caught without heavy cream). Check. Ingredients at the ready, I set about making my (mini) dream of consuming a perfect dose of chocolate and peanut butter come true.
The recipe was very easy to follow, although I did make a few changes. I used about a 1/4 cup less sugar than the recipe called for. I wanted the chocolate flavour to really stand out. I also added a tablespoon of instant espresso powder. As Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) always says, coffee does enhance the flavour of chocolate. As for the peanut butter, I used my favourite commercial brand: Skippy. When making peanut butter sandwiches, I’ve converted to natural peanut butters which I love. But for baking, I just can’t help but fall back on the reliable flavour and texture of store-bought peanut butter. Skippy is my favourite because the peanut butter has a slight smoky, roasted quality to it.
Once the cupcakes had baked and cooled, I gleefully stabbed each one and injected the peanut butter filling. It was bliss!
The Food & Wine recipe also recommended double-dipping the cupcakes in the frosting after they’re baked. I only dipped them once. I found that double-dipping the cupcakes resulted in a bit too much frosting (yes it is possible to have too much frosting). The cupcakes looked like some frosting had just been caked on haphazardly. Instead, I dipped them once and developed a very successful "dip n’ twirl" technique where I dipped the cupcake and gently twirled. After the frosting set, I piped on a lovely peanut butter rosette with a pastry bag.
The following morning I packed up the happy couples and took them to work. While I can’t say the cupcakes enjoyed the experience as they were gobbled up very quickly, I savoured the honeymoon immensely.
And we all lived happily ever after …
Ciao!
Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling
Adapted from the April 2004 issue of Food & Wine.
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup of boiling water (you may need extra water)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar (the original recipe calls for 1-1/2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup peanut butter (smooth)
- 2/3 cup icing sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (I used mini chips — the original recipe calls for chopped semisweet chocolate)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners. If you don’t have liners, be sure to butter your muffin tin(s) well.
- Put the cocoa powder in a bowl and add the boiling water. Mix until a smooth paste forms. You may have to add more than 1/2 a cup of boiling water to form a paste.
- Once the paste is formed, whisk in the buttermilk.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, begin creaming 1-1/2 sticks of butter with the sugar. Cream until light and fluffy (3 to 4 minutes).
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well combined (be sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl).
- Add half the dry ingredients to the butter/egg mixture. Mix well.
- Add half of the cocoa mixture. Mix well.
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix well and then add the remaining cocoa mixture and mix well.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin(s).
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when touched lightly. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- In a bowl, beat the peanut butter with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Sift in the icing sugar and beat for about 2 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch star tip.
- Pick up a cupcake and press the tip of the pastry bag into the cupcake (not more than an inch into the cupcake). Gently squeeze in some filling and pull the tip out. You will feel the cupcake expand as you inject the filling. Fill all the cupcakes.
- In a saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Let it stand for 5 minutes and then whisk until you have a smooth chocolate icing (try not to eat it all with a spoon!). Let the icing stand for about 15 minutes; it will thicken a bit.
- Gently dip the tops of the cupcakes into the icing using my "dip n’ twirl" technique. Just lower the cupcake top into the icing and twirl gently. While the original recipe recommends dipping once, waiting 5 minutes and then dipping again, I only dipped once.
- Let the cupcakes sit for about 1/2 an hour and then pipe rosettes onto the cupcakes using the remaining peanut butter filling.
Note: This recipe yields 24 cupcakes. The original recipe in the Food & Wine issue is inspired by Peggy Cullen of Lucky Star Sweets.
43 comments
jasmine
The best part of this recipe is that the finished product will be ALL MINE…as The Fussy Eater won’t eat peanut butter…
j
Ivonne
Hi Jasmine,
Those are the very best desserts! The ones you don’t have to share …
:o)
Kat & Satoshi
‘kay, now you’re making me drool….
Looks great!!
Tania
Mmm … cupcakes injected with peanut butter icing … But Ivonne, if the recipe made 24, how come I only got to try ONE???
MrLittlePants
Thanks for the recipe! One of my all-time favorite snacks is Nutella and Jif extra crunchy on a fresh, hot baguette. Or Jif slathered on a pain au chocolat. These cupcakes sound like they would have a similar flavor.
You can’t buy Jif anywhere in France, so when I lived there I had every visitor bring me the 2.5-pound jar! In fact I think I ate it more there than I do here.
Darla
Ok, the message you left about my cappuccino post had me cracking up as I was picturing an Italian Barista leaning over his glass deli case and slapping silly Americans with his little white towel. hehe
AND oh my gosh, I think my husband is in love with you got making these cupcakes. I’ve gotten an urgent request to try them out.
Rorie
Must have cupcakes! Bee-yoo-tee-ful!
Paz
A perfect marriage, indeed! Glad you got to enjoy their honeymoon! ๐
Paz
Jessica "Su Good Eats"
Hey, thanks for stopping by my blog! I feel exactly like you do about peanut butter: I’ve converted to all-natural, but the silky smooth texture of storebought beckons me sometimes. I can’t decide whether I like Skippy or Jif better. Skippy has that nice roasted flavor, but I like Jif’s sweetness.
Ceendy
hey,
thank u for visiting my blog and thanks a lot for the bday greeting!
by the way, i should post how sour cream timbits look like but i’m having a hard time finding them at the time horton’s (canada’s biggest coffee chain) at my schhol =p
Ceendy
just realised that you reside in toronto, i’m sucha fool =p
ow well, i like agatha christie’s hercule poirot and miss marple too !
Ivonne
Hi Kat,
These cupcakes are definitely drool-worthy!
Hi Tania,
Would it help if I told you I gave you the best one???
Hi MrLittlePants,
You know I don’t think I’ve ever tried Jif … I must search it out now thanks to your tip!
Hi Darla,
Thanks for stopping by Cream Puffs in Venice! As I said, your post is a classic!
Hi Rorie,
I agree with you, they are a thing of beauty!
Hi Paz,
The honeymoon was fantastic!
Hi Jessica,
It’s nice to have that “bad” peanut butter every once and awhile. It’s so goooooood!
Hi Ceendy,
Thanks for stopping by Cream Puffs in Venice!
rowena
Reese’s Peanut Butter cups…ah, what memories! Ivonne, you’ve made my day with this chocolate/peanut butter creation. Absolute food porn bliss!
angelika
Oh boy, what a challenge. After having got me a muffin tray recently I made my first cupcakes last weekend (well, you cannnot resist the inspiration of so many fellow foodbloggers..) – self frosting nutella cupcakes. But since I die (also) for peanut butter, mmhhh… If I only had some cup measurements, converting the measurements by the online tools sometimes fails. I have to ask if they sell these cups here in Austria as well. Until soon, cordiali saluti da Viena, angelika
Bea at La Tartine Gourmande
Beautiful Ivonne. I bet this was great stress relief! They look very nice all lined up next to each other! I am sure you were popular at work!
Ruth
All I can say is….Oh..my…G-D!!! Fabulous combination (my husband will love me forever now) and gorgeous photos.
Thanks for sharing. I love your blog and have added it to my fave links
Sara
I’m finding it hard to type, as my keyboard is covered in drool. I’m having a chocolate-peanut butter cupcake drive to “Save a Sweet Tooth” – you can send these directly to me and I’ll handle the rest (distribution, consumption, tax writeoffs).
Luisa
I have this recipe clipped too! And have never gotten around to making it. So I’m living vicariously through your delicious-looking photographs. YUM.
Ivonne
Hi Rowena!
They were very decadent and worth the little extra effort it takes to make them!
Hi Angelika,
I’ve heard about those self-frosting Nutella cupckaes … I have to make them! I can do any measurement conversions you need … and if you need the cupcake liners, I can send them to you!
Hi Bea,
Yes the stress was all gone after eating one of those cupcakes! And yes my coworkers very happy with me that day!
Hi Ruth!
Thanks for adding me to your favourite links. I shall do the same with you … please make the cupcakes for your husband. They are worth it!
Sara,
The package is on it’s way …
:o)
Hi Luisa,
It’s funny because I kept looking at the recipe every once and awhile and finally I was like, “Just make them already!”
I’m glad I did. They will become a regular part of my baking repertoire!
angelika
Thank you so much Ivonne for you kind offer, but I have the tray and the liners, and maybe I can get some cup measurments here in Austria also. If not, I will be so free to tell you (let’s change cups agains CDs…;-) Big hug, angelika
(P.S.: if you also have the weight measurements, it’s always helpful for us Europeans…)
Amy
Just found your blog off of “Come to the Table” and what a great post to start with! These will have to be made.
I too use the natural peanut butter for sandwiches but I prefer Jiff over Skippy for baking.
I’ll be back!
Isabella di Pesto
Lucious!
I had several people looking over my shoulder at the picture of these heavenly treats. All they could say was:
Oooooooh! Ooooooh! and
Oooooooh!
Cindy
So lovely looking ! I want to eat one !
Ivonne
Hi Angelika,
Thanks for the tip about the European measurements … I’m going to start including them!
Hi Amy,
Thanks so much for stopping by … come back anytime! I must search the city of Toronto for Jiff pb!
Isabella,
They are as good as they look … believe me!
Bonjour Cindy,
Come on over whenever you like and I’ll have one waiting for you!!!
Gerald
Wish I was there to lick the bowl!
Ivonne
Hi Gerald,
I did lick the bowl and it was very good!
Ceendy
The Italians are extremely genius to have invented Nutella!
It’s like, the best spread ever!!!
Jennifer
Wow! Those look heavenly. PB+Chocolate=Heaven.
I’m adding your page to my bookmarks (and blog links) to see what you come up with next!
SilverSara
Those look DIVINE! I think I’ll try them this friday for my friend’s birthday. Yummy!
joey
Woof! That looks great! Chocolate and peanut butter do get on famously ๐
Ivonne
Hi Ceendy,
I agree, Nutella has to be one of the greatest inventions ever!
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks so much for stopping by! I love your blog!
Hi SilverSara,
Please do try them. They were worth the little extra effort … by the way I can’t wait to see what you prepare next.
Hi Joey!!!
Thanks for visiting … it was the perfect combo of chocolate and pb … yummy!
jeanne
heavens this is something that I’ve wanted to make since the April ’04 issue. there’s nothing better than C&PB…of course there’s C&orange, and C&chili peppers…
Mona
Wow so many comments you won’t even see me….
those look amazing. I am so bummed I’m just finding this now.. I could have made them for my friend’s bday tomorrow ๐ Rats!!!!!!!!!!! I am bookmarking this recipe. Unbelievable!
Wandering Coyote
OMG – you cannot imagine how I felt upon seeing that luscious picture when I came here! A must try! Thanks!
Joe
Wow is right, these look so good! Chocolate and peanut butter go so well together
Ivonne
Hi Jeane,
Yes you are so right … chocolate goes with everything!!!
Hi Mona!
I see you!! Thanks for stopping by and I’m glad you like the recipe. I highly recommend it … hope you try it for next big event!
Wandering Coyote,
Please do try them. They are completely worth it!
Hi Joe!
Thanks so much for stopping by. I love your blog … and yes the chocolate and peanut butter were a perfect match!
Zarah Maria
Ahh, anything that would just mildly resemble a Reese’s Peanutbutter cup – I’m sold! These look LOVELY Ivonne!
Ivonne
Hello Zarah Maria,
Thanks so much for stopping by Cream Puffs in Venice! And those cupcakes were as close to a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup as I’ve ever come!
Silversara
Hey you! I tried the cupcakes and they’re fabulous! my only question is I seemed to get very different amounts of filling in the cupcakes, using the expanding top technique. How were you able to make sure they were well filled?
Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Ivonne
Hi Sara,
I sent you an e-mail on this. Basically once the cupcake feels heavy in your hand, you know it’s filled.
thebizofknowledge
I stumbled across your blog while I was doing some online research. I’ve never tried to inject a filling into a cupcake, but I’m looking forward to what promises to be a delicous result!
chocolate strawberries
Here’s how to make delicious chocolate covered strawberries. First of all ensure that the strawberries you are intending to use are dry, then allow them to be room temperature warm prior to making them. After the strawberries have been covered in chocolate, put them in your refrigerator to cool, but do not store them in the fridge. Consume within 1-2 days.
portarossa
Looking for something fun to make the kids this weekend and these sound perfect. For some reason the photos are showing up…have they been removed?