Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate Ganache

So the other day we were having a bake sale at work. Normally, I'll make some cornbread muffins and call it a day, but this time I thought I'd do something a little more fancy. 

A while back, I tried this recipe out for the very first time, and they turned out pretty well. So I decided to give it another go, now that I'm so much older and wiser. 

So here you have it. Peanut Butter cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and a Chocolate Ganache. 

Peanut Butter Cupcake Recipe

1 cup Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp salt

pinch of cinnamon 

3/4 stick of butter at room temp

1 cup Peanut Butter

1 cup Brown Sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 Egg

1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350, and either grease or line a cupcake tray. 

Sift the flour. These cupcakes are kind of heavy and can be bready. So make sure to sift the flour before cooking. 

Then mix flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a different bowl, mix butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar with beaters until they're blended. Add vanilla and egg. 

Pour milk and flour mixture into the bowl alternately, until completely mixed. 

Pour into liners put in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 

Let cupcakes cool before frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 tsp of vanilla
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

6 tbs milk

Cream peanut butter and vanilla together until blended. Add 3 tablespoons of milk and half the confectioner's sugar. Beat until combined. Add the rest; beat until combined. If your frosting doesn't seem to be smooth enough, add more milk one table spoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. 

Make sure the cupcakes are cool. If they're not, the frosting will melt. 

Frost anyway you like. I frosted using a frosting bag, but no tip, but you can do it whatever way works best. 

Chocolate Ganache

3/4 cups of semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup of heavy cream

This part calls for a double boiler. I don't have one, I refuse to buy one, because you can put water in a pot and put either a metal bowl or another pot on top and use that as a double boiler. 

Anyway, do that and put the chocolate chips and heavy cream in there, stirring as it melts. 

You'll want it be smooth, but not completely liquid. I wish I had a picture to show you. 

The best way to explain it is that when you pour it off the spoon you want it to be thick that it pours in streams. 

I wish there were a better way to describe it other than the "Correct consistency of chocolate." 

Decorate the cupcakes as you choose. 

Eat. 

Enjoy. 

In Search Of. . . Starbucks Secret Menu Wednesday: Zebra Mocha

In Search Of. . . Starbucks Secret Menu Wednesday: Zebra Mocha

 

 

Well, I'm back on frappes for now. I got a Starbucks gift card, which makes me happy because I didn't have to pay for this obsession. If you all love me, you'll give me Starbucks cards.

 

No?

 

 

Sad face.

 

 

Anyway, so this week I wanted something that looked chocolaty. I got it. Here is the Zebra Mocha

 

Oh look, I found the saturation tool on my phone. :D

 

Now, if you're in the mood for chocolate, get this. It's super chocolaty with chocolate chips. I stopped getting any of these with an extra shot of coffee, because the others ones I've tried with coffee haven't turned out right.

 

Here's the recipe:

 

Order a mocha with half white chocolate and half regular chocolate.

Add java chips.

Chocolate sauce on the top and then I think you can get nuts. (The picture on the secret menu has something on it that looks like nuts, but it doesn't say.)

 

 

I didn't mind this one. The coffee flavor wasn't prevalent which is kind of sad, but it's good for a chocolate fix.

 

 

As always,