Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes
• 1 ½ cups cocoa powder
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 ¾ cups white fine sugar
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 36 peanut butter cups (unwrapped)
• M&M’S Peanut Chocolate Candies for decoration
For the Icing
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• ⅔ cups boiling water
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
• 6 cups icing sugar confectionery*
• *(quantity approximate, may need to add less/more depending on consistency of your frosting)
Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Line muffin tins with cupcake papers (makes approximately 36)
• In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Mix well.
• Add eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition.
• Add wet ingredients and blend well.
• Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full of batter. Place an unwrapped peanut butter cup in the middle of the batter.
• Bake in oven for approximately 18-20 minutes (time may vary between ovens).
• Let cupcakes cool on wire racks.
Frosting:
• In a large bowl, combine the butter, cocoa powder, 3 cups icing sugar, boiling water and pure vanilla extract. Blend on low until ingredients are combined, then on medium speed; slowly add more icing sugar (1 cup at a time) until preferred frosting consistency is reached.
• Add 2 tbsp of smooth peanut butter and stir with spoon until just blended.
• Ice cupcakes using your Wilton piping bag and favourite Wilton tip.
• Decorate tops of cupcakes with M&M’S Peanut Chocolate Candies and enjoy!