DARK CHOCOLATE & PB CUPCAKES

Last september, I blogged about the two different batches of cupcakes (around 50 all in all) that I made for my friend Corinne's daughter's birthday party. Well, after having posted the recipe for those exquisite "Vanilla And Lemon Cupcakes" a few months ago, today, I am posting about that second batch...

When I was doing some research on the net in order to find ideas for Samira's special event, it was clear for me that the cupcakes I was going to bake had to be rich, scrumptious, teen compatible, unforgettable and had to come in two variations and two different colors.

As most people, grownups and youngsters alike, love Snickers Bars, I thought that it would be an awesome idea to combine at least two of the ingredients (in that case, peanuts and chocolate) contained in that treat in order to create cupcakes which would be as regressive as possible!

Saying that these "Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cupcakes" are terrific is nearly an euphemism as they are just simply drop-dead gorgeous! Magolia Bakery's recipe gives very moist, terribly fluffy, pleasantly smooth and feather-like cupcakes, thanks to the use of buttermilk and baking soda (no baking powder here). Taste-wise, they are just orgasmically ambrosial. The deep, intense and vibrant chocolate aroma blends tremendously well with the addictively nutty, creamy, ample as well as slightly salty flavor of Alisa Huntsman's incredibly luscious as well as silky "Peanut Butter & Cream Cheese Frosting" (one of the best frostings I have ever tasted/made so far!).

Those divine little "babies" will drive your tastebuds crazy and you'll come back asking for more, licking your fingers greedily after each bite!

~ Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cupcakes ~
"Dark Chocolate Cupcakes" recipe by Magnolia Bakery "The Magnolia Cookbook", "Peanut Butter Frosting" by Alisa Huntsman "Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes" & adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Makes about 24 cupcakes.

Ingredients for the "Dark Chocolate Cupcakes":
2 Cups (255g) All-purpose flour
1 Tsp Baking soda
1 Cup (240g/2 sticks) Unsalted butter, softened
1 Cup (210g) Granulated sugar
1 Cup (240g) Firmly-packed light brown sugar
4 Large eggs (~63g), room temp
6 Oz (180g) Unsweetened chocolate, melted (see remarks)
1 Cup (240ml) Buttermilk (see remarks) 1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
Ingredients for the "Peanut Butter Frosting":
6.6 Oz (200g) Cream cheese, at room temperature
2.6 Oz (80g) Unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 1/3 Cups (400g) Confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 Cup (128g) Smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)

Method for the "Dark Chocolate Cupcakes":
1. Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F).
2. Line the muffin tins with paper liners.
3. In a small bowl, sift together flour and baking soda. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, (by hand or with the help of a handmixer/mixer) cream the butter until smooth.
4. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add the melted chocolate and the vanilla, mixing until well incorporated.
7. Add dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk. With each addition, beat until ingredients are incorporated (but do not overbeat), until they are well blended and the batter is smooth.
8. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tester toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Cool in the tins for 15 minutes before removing them from the tins and cool completely on cooling racks before frosting.

Method for the "Peanut Butter Frosting":
11. In a large bowl with an electric (hand)mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
12. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
13. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.
14. Frost the cupcakes and decorate them as you wish.

Remarks:
I had no unsweetened chocolate at home, so I used some Lindt 70% chocolate.
If you have no buttermilk and you are looking for substituations, follow this link.
You can keep your "Peanut Butter Frosting" in the fridge for up to a week or even freeze it for up to 2 months.

Serving suggestions:
Enjoy without moderation, at any time of the day and on any occasion, with a big glass of ice cold milk.

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~ Cupcakes Au Chocolat Noir Et Leur Glaçage Au Peanut Butter ~
Recette pour les cupcakes par Magnolia Bakery "The Magnolia Cookbook", recette pour le glaçage par Alisa Huntsman "Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes" toutes les deux adaptées par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Donne environ 24 cupcakes.

Ingrédients pour les "Cupcakes au Chocolat Noir":
2 Tasses (255g) de Farine fleur/blanche
1 CC de Bicarbonate de soude
1/2 CC de sel
1 Tasse (240g) de Beurre non-salé, ramolli
1 Tasse (210g) de Sucre cristallisé
1 Tasse (240g) de Sucre brun clair
4 Larges oeufs (~ 63g), à température ambiante
180g de Chocolat non-sucré, fondu au bain-marie (voir remarques)
1 Tasse (240ml) de Babeurre (voir remarques) 1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
Ingrédients pour le "Glaçage Au Peanut Butter":
200g de Cream cheese, à température ambiante
80g de Beurre non-salé, à température ambiante
400g de Sucre en poudre, tamisé
128g de Peanut butter (sans morceau)

Méthode pour les "Cupcakes au Chocolat Noir":
1. Préchauffer le four à 180° C (350° F).
2. Placer des petits moules en papier sulfurisé dans les compartiments de la plaque à muffins.
3. Dans un petit bol, mélanger ensemble la farine, la bicarbonate de soude et le sel. Mettre de côté.
4. Dans un grand bol, (à la main ou à l'aide d'un mixer) battre le beurre en pommade.
4. Ajouter les deux sucres et battre (~3 minutes) jusqu'à ce le mélange devienne léger.
5. Ajouter les oeufs, un à la fois, tout en mélangeant bien après chaque ajout.
6. Ajouter le chocolat fondu, puis la vanille et mélanger jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient bien incorporés.
7. Ajouter les ingrédients secs en trois fois, tout en alternant avec le babeurre. Après chaque addition, bien mélanger afin que les ingrédients soient totalement incorporés (ne pas trop mélanger tout de même) et que la pâte soit homogène/lisse.
8. Remplir délicatement les moules avec la pâte, en remplissant jusqu'au 3/4.
9. Cuire pendant 20 à 25 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la lame d'un couteau en ressorte sèche/propre.
10. Laisser refroidir dans la plaque pendant 15 minutes avant de sortir les cupcakes de leur compartiment et de les faire refroidir complètement sur une grille.
Méthode pour le "Glaçage Au Peanut Butter":
11. Dans un grand bol, à l'aide d'un mixer, battre le cream cheese et le beurre ensemble, jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit léger et onctueux.
12. Ajouter graduellement le sucre en poudre (1 tasse à la fois), en mélanger bien après chaque addition et en nettoyant les bords du bol régulièrement. Continuer à battre à vitesse moyenne pendant 3 à 4 minutes, jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit léger et onctueux.
13. Ajouter le peanut butter et battre jusqu'à ce qu'il soit entièrement incorporé.
14. Couvrir le dessus les cupcakes avec le glaçage et décorer comme désiré.

Remarques:
Comme je n'avais pas de chocolat non-sucré, j'ai utilisé du chocolat Lindt 70%.
Si vous n'avez pas de babeurre, alors suivez ce lien pour plus d'infos concernant les possibles substitutions.
Vous pouvez garder votre "Glaçage Au Peanut Butter" au frigo pendant 1 semaine et même le garder au congélateur (2 mois).

Idées de présentation:
A déguster sans modération, à toute heure de la journée et en toute occasion, avec un grand verre de lait froid.