Cheryl Porro, software quality engineer by day, “Chockylit,” host of by night, writes: “I warn you, do not eat these cupcakes without a tall glass of milk nearby. They are crazy rich.” She topped each cupcake with a dried fondant flower with a peanut butter filling center. Makes 24 regular cupcakes.
Ingredients
- 5.4 ounces dark chocolate or 3/4 of a 200 gram bar of Valrhona 61% cacao
- 22 tablespoons (2 3/4 sticks) butter (Note: this is not a typo)
- 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
- 4 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt
For the peanut butter filling:
- 4 ounces or 1/2 8-ounce package of Philly cream cheese
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk
For the chocolate ganache:
- 4 ounces or 1/2 8-ounce package of Philly cream cheese
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 5 ounces semisweet chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt chocolate and butter over a water bath. Add sugar and stir, let mixture cool for 10 minutes.
Beat in an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Add one egg at a time, mixing for 30 seconds between each.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and a pinch of salt into the chocolate mixture and mix until blended.
Scoop into cupcake cups and bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Meanwhile, make peanut butter filling and ganache
Filling: Beat cream cheese and peanut butter until combined. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the milk and beat until combined.
Ganache: Chop chocolates and transfer into a heat-proof bowl. 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. Add butter and vanilla and stir until combined.
Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixture and let cool for 10 minutes. Sift powdered sugar into the mixture and beat until combined. Continue to beat with an electric mixer until lighter in color and creamy.
Assembly: Using a small paring knife, cut off the top of the cupcake in the shape of a cone. Flip the top over and cut off the cone.
Fill the cavity with a teaspoon or so of peanut butter filling. Replace top. Frost with ganache.
Decorate as you wish.
