Food Network: Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing

	Print 3x5 Recipe Cards
	Print this recipe out and cut along the dotted lines to add this 3x5 recipe card to your personal collection.

Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing
Copyright 2006, Barefoot Contessa at Home, All Rights Reserved

Ingredients
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room
temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing, recipe follows
Chopped salted peanuts, to decorate, optional

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans
with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter
and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower
the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In
another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed,

add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the
mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour
mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure
it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per
cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes,
until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and
allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if
desired.

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the
bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed
until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the
cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.