Sweet treat for my Sweetie.

We can’t spend a Friday night in without dessert! I am really in the “cupcake” mood lately and these delicious treats definitely did the trick! Rich, chocolaty, and peanut buttery…..yum! The cupcakes themselves came from allrecipes.com, but as I was combining ingredients, I tasted the batter and it didn’t taste “fudgy” enough for my taste. I included my changes in parenthesis. The Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting is also from allrecipes.com(I cut the recipe in half). I have used it MANY times. It is delicious!

Chris was sweet enough to help me with the photography. He wasn't satisfied with his "bite" photo and decided he should cut the cupcake in half for a second shoot. :) He was so careful to make a clean, neat cut in the cupcake! Too cute.(Shhh....don't tell him I published both pics!)







CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar (**I added 1 tablespoon)
1/4 cup baking cocoa (**I added 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE FILLING:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, water, oil, vinegar and vanilla; mix well. Pour into 18 greased or paper-lined muffin cups.
For filling, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar in another mixing bowl. Add egg and salt; mix well. Drop by tablespoonfuls into center of each cupcake. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.

FLUFFY PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons milk, or as needed
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Directions:
Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.
Frost cupcakes once they have cooled completely.

Easter in Holmes County

After a wonderful visit the weekend before, Chris and I headed back to his parents' house in Winesburg. Sadly, this trip was a result of Chris' grandmother's passing away on March 19, 2008. She had been sick from cancer these past few months. Chris' mother is an amazing woman and is very strong in her faith. She is relying on the Lord to help her through her grief and finding comfort in the thought of her mother pain-free in Heaven.
It was wonderful to be with Chris' family for Easter. I decided to contribute to the "Easter Carry-in" by making some adorable cupcakes. These cupcakes were adapted from my grandmother's "Loaded Chocolate Cake". The "Easter Egg Nest" decorating idea came from Betty Crocker; however, rather then use coconut (which I am allergic to) I used chow mein noodles covered in melted chocolate and peanut butter. Yum!

I included some "short cuts" for this recipe. It is great either way. Enjoy!






Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Cupcakes

Ingredients:
24 paper cupcake liners
1 Box Devil’s Food Cake Mix (I use Duncan Hines)
1 (12-ounce) package peanut butter chocolate (recipe below) or 24 miniature peanut butter cups


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 regular muffin cups with paper cupcake liners.

Prepare the cake mix according to package directions. Fill the cups half full with cake batter. Place about 1 tablespoon peanut butter chocolate mixture in the center of the batter, or press 1 peanut butter cup into the batter in each muffin cup until the batter meets the top edge of the peanut butter cup.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cupcakes are set. When they can be handled safely, remove them from the muffin tins and let cool completely on wire racks. Decorate with frosting (recipe below).
**While cupcakes bake, I prepare the “birds nests” and frosting.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Filling:
Ingredients:
12 ounces (1 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:
Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or microwave safe bowl. Stir in peanut butter until well blended. Spoon filling in to cupcake liners (about 1 tablespoon).


Fudgy Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
3 tablespoons milk, or as needed

Directions:
Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl and pour melted chocolate chips over. Gradually mix in milk one tablespoon at a time until frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.



**Fudgy Peanut Butter Frosting (Short cut)
Ingredients:
1 container Chocolate Fudge Frosting
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:
Melt peanut butter until smooth (easily stirred) in a microwave safe bowl. Stir in container of frosting. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter “Bird Nests”:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
6 ounces chow mien noodles (half of a standard size bag)
Wax paper
Favorite brand jelly beans (about 50 beans)

Directions:
Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or microwave safe bowl. Stir in peanut butter until well blended. Stir in chow mien noodles. Using a regular table spoon, spoon mixture into piles or “nests” on to wax paper. Let cool and set for 1-2 hours at room temperature or refrigerator. Use to top frosted cupcakes. Place 3 jelly beans or “eggs” in nests once nests are on top of cupcakes.


***Tip: I like to make a “bucket” or indentation using my finger in the center of the nests so the jelly beans don’t roll away.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

Chris is on-call this weekend and I am finding ways to keep busy. I decided to take a break from my reading and "girly movies" and bake something for my friend who is stopping by on her drive to a wedding. I made several changes to allrecipe.com Peanut Butter Cup Cupcake recipe and made them Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes! I also added a peanut butter frosting and chocolate drizzle topping. The result is AMAZING! These are so rich...be sure to have your milk ready! Yum!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
(Original recipe: Allrecipes Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes)

Cupcake:
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar (I added this)
1/4 cup baking cocoa (I added this)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
16 miniature peanut butter cups

Pre-heat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter, sugar, cocoa, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk.
Fill paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Press a peanut butter cup into the center of each until top edge is even with batter. Bake at 350 for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted on an angle toward the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.


Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting (allrecipes.com):

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.

Chocolate Drizzle:

1 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate chips
Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave 1 minute. Stir between each heating. Repeat until all chocolate is smooth and melted throughout. (It took about 3 minutes).

To assemble: Top cooled cup cakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and drizzle with melted chocolate.