Trick or Treat Cupcakes

This is a delicious chocolate and peanut butter cupcake recipe to give out to your trick or treaters.

Ingredients:

Devil's Food Cake:
-1 1/4 cups cake flour
-1/2 cup processed unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup+2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
-1 1/4 or 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
-3 large eggs
-1/2 cup buttermilk
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 cup strong, hot coffee

Peanut Butter Buttercream Filling:
-1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
-1 cup creamy peanut butter
-1 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

Ganache Frosting:
-4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
-1/2 cup heavy cream

Decorations:
-desired candies

Directions:

Devil's Food Cake:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 12 slot muffin pan with large paper or foil cupcake liners. Next, sift the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Repeat the previous step two more times. Beat the butter and sugar together at high speed for 15 seconds until combined in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs one at a time and continue beating until each egg is incorporated. Continue beating until light and fluffy for about 6 minutes longer. With the mixer at its lowest speed, beat in 1/3 the sifted flour mixture. Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla, and then another third of the flour. Beat in the coffee and then the remaining flour. Fill the sections of the muffin tin 1/2 full and bake for about 15 minutes or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed. Set the pan on a rack to cool.

Peanut Butter Buttercream Filling:
Beat the butter and peanut butter at medium speed in a mixing bowl until blended. Reduce the mixing speed to low and gradually beat in the sifted powdered sugar. Increase the mixing speed to high and beat for about 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Pour the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a medium, plain tip with filling. Insert tip into each cooled cupcake and squeeze approximately 3 tablespoons of filling into each cupcake.

Ganache Frosting:
Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a scald in a small saucepan or pot. Pour the heavy cream over chocolate and let sit for about a minute, then whisk until smooth. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until thick, but still pourable. Add food coloring if you desire a colored frosting. Dunk the top half of the cupcakes into the frosting to coat, then place on a rack and decorate with the desired candies. Transfer the cupcakes into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes for until it set.

Posted by Yukari