Peanut butter and chocolate–talk about a perfect pairing! These Buckeye Cupcakes have a chocolate cupcake base that is moist and rich with a deep, developed chocolate flavor. Topped with a perfectly balanced peanut butter cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache, and mini buckeyes, these cupcakes are the perfect peanut butter and chocolate hit.
I finally broke down. I made cupcakes. I know that latter statement sounds weird. Usually people enter the baking world by making cupcakes for birthday parties or bake sales. They’re small, they’re approachable, they’re the perfect size. But I never baked cupcakes. Cupcakes were just too oddly specific. You need a tin or cupcake wrappers. I never had the motivation to purchase either. I worked at a cupcake shop and never had the desire to make them on my own.
So what motivated me to make said cupcakes? I was a late bloomer, but after watching many, and I mean MANY, episodes of Cupcake Wars—I was spurred to bake up batch myself.
Featured in season 2 of Cupcake Wars these Buckeye Cupcakes needed minimal adjustments. This cupcake used the water method to make consistently fine and moist crumb. I opted to swap the water for strong coffee. The robust flavors of the coffee compliment the chocolate without having any bitter tannins that coffee can sometimes have.
The Buckeye Cupcakes’ peanut butter frosting is dangerous. Like eat straight from the bowl good. Honestly, eat this frosting as a dip. I can also envision sandwiching this Peanut Butter Frosting between two chewy double chocolate cookies. The ratio of butter, cream cheese, and peanut butter yields for a well balanced frosting that is both sweet, salty, and tangy.
So get that chocolate peanut butter craving out of the way, and bake these Buckeye Cupcakes up!
- For the Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 5 ounces egg yolks, room temperature
- 3 ounces egg whites, room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup coffee
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- For the Peanut Butter Frosting:
- 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- For the Chocolate Drizzle:
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 9 ounces semisweet chocolate morsels
- For assembling the Cupcakes:
- Mini buckeyes
- peanut butter chips
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard size cupcake pans with 24 liners, set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt on the lowest speed.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolks, egg whites, buttermilk, oil, coffee, and vanilla. With the mixer still on a low speed, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in three stages. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Give the batter a final beat on medium-high speed for 25 seconds. This batter will be thin.
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners ¾ of the way full. Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway. Cool completely before handling the cupcakes.
- Put the cream cheese and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until smooth and lump free, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the peanut butter and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla and then on a low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar. Scrape down the bowl again and give the frosting a final mixing.
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the heavy cream and butter until the sides begin to bubble, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the chocolate morsels and let the mixture stand for 1 minute. Slowly stir the mixture until it is smooth, blended, and lump free. Re frigate to firm the mixture up a bit.
- Use a pastry bag to swirl on the Peanut Butter Frosting. Put the Chocolate Drizzle in a pastry bag and pipe even lines over the frosting. Decorate with a mini buckeye and some peanut butter chips.