Bakers Royale

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcake

By 67 Comments

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcake Surprise~ All your favorite flavors come together in one cupcake with a chocolate pour , some sprinkles for happiness, a maraschino cherry for prosperity, Reeses peanut butter cup for a topper and the surprise inside the liner- another hidden Reeses peanut butter cup. Yep, I dropped one of those little cups inside and baked it into the chocolate cupcake batter.

z

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcakes

I’m happy to see March, since February is always my busiest month. With more birthdays than I can blow out candles for, I’m a birthday baking mess.

This year for the hubs birthday, we had a quiet celebration even though it was his 40th! I had a big party planned but the surprise was squelched and he opted for a small family dinner, which turned out just great. Along with that, he also wanted what I call a quiet cake. Nothing fancy-just yellow butter cake with a chocolate frosting. Um hello, Husband, have you seen my cakes? I’m hardly a quiet cake carver. All the same here is his quiet cake.

So when it was my little guy’s birthday, I kind of went over the top. He requested his favorite chocolate and peanut butter cupcake-remember these that I used as bribery tokens for him? Well I kept the chocolate cupcake like he wanted but added a surprise Reeses cup inside and topped it off with a chocolate frosting, chocolate pour, and some sprinkles and a cherry.

He loved them! But he pretty much loves anything with a cherry and peanut butter is always a no fail with him.

A few notes:

  • Frost the cupcakes and then freeze them for ten minutes before pouring the chocolate on top or else the frosting begins to melt.
  • The cupcakes can be made a day in advance and kept in airtight container at room temperature or for 3 days refrigerated.
  • The frosting can be made 3 days in advance and refrigerated or kept frozen for up to two weeks. Just make sure it is brought to room temperature before using

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcake Surprise

Yields 12 Cupcakes
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in muffin pan wells.

Ingredients:

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • ½ cup sour cream

Chocolate Swiss Meringue:

  • 5 large egg whites
  • 11/2 cup sugar
  • 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Chocolate Pouring Sauce:

  • 2/3 cups dark chocolate
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
  • 4-5 tablespoons water, warm

Instructions:

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:
1. Place butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan with two inches of simmering water. Gently stir butter and chocolate until melted and combined. Set aside until mixture is warm to touch.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.
3. Whisk eggs in second bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.
4. Fill cupcake line ¼ full. Add a Reeses peanut butter cup to each well and finish pouring cupcake batter on top of it until the wells are two-thirds full. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
5. Cool cupcakes to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Chocolate Swiss Meringue:

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 150 degrees F while whisking constantly.
2. Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until mixture cools and doubles in volume.
3. Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Add cooled chocolate and mix to combine.

Chocolate Pouring Sauce:
1. Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

Assembly:
1. Frost cooled cupcakes. Freeze frosted cupcakes for ten minutes. Drizzle chocolate pour over chocolate frosting (reheat chocolate pour in microwave as needed to keep pouring consistency). Shake sprinkles on chocolate sauce. Place peanut butter cup on top and add a more frosting. Finish with a maraschino cherry.

Comments

  2. Jess Wakasugi says

    Wow…those look out of this world! The little peanut butter cup with the meringue alone looks like it would be fantastic! Haha you must have had fun with these, what a lucky little guy!

  3. Cookbook Queen says

    These are just too too gorgeous…and the flavor combination–YUM!!

    I once created a mini cupcake cupcake topper from a little Reeses cup like that one…it was one of my favorite creations and so cute!! These look almost too pretty to eat 🙂 But I’m sure I’d manage to choke down one (or five)

  11. Caroline says

    Wow. Just wow. Those look amazing! I think my entire family has March birthdays. Crazy! Those look like just the solution. 😀

  12. Robyn | Add a Pinch says

    Well, you know this is one of my very favorite flavor combinations! What an awesome birthday cupcake for your little guy! Adorable!!!

  13. Tracey says

    Wow! These cupcakes are ridiculous–in a very good way. And seeing as how cupcakes are one of my favorite food groups, I know of what I speak. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe.

  14. Wenderly says

    I don’t even have words to express how much I am in love with those cupcakes. It’s been a humdinger of a week and those just made me *smile*

    Thank you.

  25. C&C Cakery says

    Those are the most bright and happy cupcakes I have ever seen. The little mini cup and the cherry on top really makes it – as does the chocolate sauce and the sprinkles. An absolutely perfect specimen of a cupcake!

  29. Kita says

    Holy crap! These cupcakes have blown my mind. My birthday is soon (not) I promise (nope) really (not getting anywhere am i? Oh well, it was worth the shot). These look amazing, I can’t wait to try them.

  33. Michelle says

    These are great! You can tell you really had a lot of fun creating these. My boyfriend is just like your hubby… he would rather have yellow cake with chocolate frosting over anything fabulous.

  41. Debbie says

    These cupcakes are great! I want to duplicate. Would you please share with me the tip size and technique used to get the beautiful layers of frosting? Thanks!

  44. Nancy@acommunaltable says

    Sitting here munching on my healthy hummus and pita bread and what pops up?? These cupcakes!! (Sigh…) I can’t tell you how much I wanted to reach through my computer screen and grab one of these – all my fav flavors in one dessert. Sheer awesomeness!!!

  47. Katie says

    Thanks for the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcake. I enjoy eating it. I try another cupcake last weekend called Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting which I thought was also delicious, for recipe please go on the following site:

  51. thecoffeesnob says

    Ooh peanut butter and chocolate has got to be the most delicious combination! And that over the top frosting? Just gliding the (incredibly sinful and delcious) lily!

  55. Kris says

    Totally enjoying your site! What made me laugh is the Slim-Fast ads right next to the most gorgeous, most delicious looking cupcake I’ve ever seen!

  61. Hannah says

    How have I never been on your blog before?! Everything is adorable and looks bloody delicious. I think I just fell in love.

  63. Donna-Marie Holt says

    Reece’s peanut butter cups aren’t that size. They are shorter and a lot wider.
    I want these cute ones!

  64. Crazy For Cupcakes says

    The cupcake is pretty good without the icing and no PB cup inside. I had extra batter and made a few minis but think I could have gotten a dozen and a half or more from this recipe as the 12 regular cupcakes over-flowed the liners. I Will try again Monday, they are for an event on Tuesday!

  66. Dama says

    Hi there! I want to try your chocolate swiss mereingue but I don’t see in the directions *when* to add the cocoa powder. Can you help?

    Thanks!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Bakers Royale on Instagram