My sister is a peanut butter/chocolate-aholic so when I made cupcakes to sell at her Kappa Kup BBQ, I decided to give this recipe a try. I got super worried half way through because the cake itself wasn't very sweet tasting and kind of blahhy. But once they are filled with the peanut butter filling and frosted with the chocolate ganache frosting (this is my new favorite recipe for chocolate icing!) they were spectacular. It's a little bit of work to assemble them but it's worth it. Sorry the step by step photos don't appear until the cupcake is assembled but I was making these in my sister's kitchen while watching the Kentucky Derby and only remembered to use my camera when I came home later to finish them off.

Chocolate Cupcakes With Peanut Butter Filling
From Caprial’s Desserts by Caprial Pence and Melissa Carey

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 ¼ cups lightly packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 heaping TBSP cocoa powder
2 ¼ cups sifted cake flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
¾ cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease cupcake pans and set aside.
2. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl often , until well blended, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the cocoa powder. Mix until combined.
4. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, on at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing well after each addition.
5. Continue to beat for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer, add the melted chocolate, and mix well.
6. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add about ½ the ingredients followed by about ½ of the sour cream and beat well. Add the remaining dry ingredients followed by the remaining sour cream, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating well after each addition.
7. Add the boiling water and beat until smooth.
8. Scoop (ice cream scoop works best) batter into prepared pans.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center.
10. Let cool for about 10 minutes and remove from pan. Let cupcakes cool completely.

Peanut Butter Filling
4 ounces or 1/2 package of Philly cream cheese
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk to thin out filling

1. Beat cream cheese and peanut butter until combined.
2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until combined.
3. Add the milk and beat until combined. Add more milk until your reach desired consistency.

Chocolate Ganache
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
5 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
2-3 cups powdered sugar

1. Chop chocolates and transfer into a heat proof bowl.
2. Heat cream until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, pour cream over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute then stir until combined.
3. Add butter and vanilla and stir until combined.
4. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixture and let cool for 10 minutes.
5. Sift powdered sugar into the mixture and beat until combined. Add more sugar if needed.
6. Continue to beat with an electric mixer until lighter in color and creamy.

Assemble

1. Using a small pairing knife, cut off the top of the cupcake in the shape of a cone. Flip the top over and cut off the cone.
2. Fill the cavity with a teaspoon or so of peanut butter filling. I used a piping bag, this makes it much easier.
3. Replace top.
4. Frost with ganache.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

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