Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing

Show: Barefoot ContessaEpisode: Working Lunch

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (196)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(196)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
14 to 15 cupcakes

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 10 min
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 50 min

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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

Directions

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.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing
Megan Jackson, MI 11-18-2009
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Icing is Awesome
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is the exact peanut butter icing recipe I've been looking for. I live near an apple orchard that makes brownies with... this same icing and they are amazing!! Now I can make them at home!! You must try this icing on something chocolate!!Read more
recipe Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing
Debbie Leander, TX 11-16-2009
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Awesome
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have made these cupcakes 3 times this month. My family and my husbands co-workers can't get enough of them. These are so... easy and so delicious.. Thank you Ina!Read more
recipe Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing
Marilyn Statesboro, GA 11-13-2009
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I really wanted this to be "the" recipe
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I am a huge Ina fan, and I wanted this to be the best chocolate cupcake recipe. Everything was fine until I took them out of... the oven to cool. Within 10 minutes, all of them had fallen (even though I tested for doneness before removing them) and separated from the cupcake papers. They became dense chunks of cake. I am going to try to rescue them as a chocolate cherry trifle. Maybe the cherry liquer, pudding and whipped cream will salvage them.Read more
recipe Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing
Veeronica newtown sq, PA 11-03-2009
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Love Love Love
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I've been making this cupcake recipe since I purchased your Barefoot Contessa at home cookbook almost three years ago. It's... my go to cupcake recipe and everytime it's a hit no matter what the occassion is.Read more
recipe Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing
Joelle Guntersville, AL 10-14-2009
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PB Icing recipe
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I had never made icing from scratch before. Initially I was extremely distraught, the peanut butter icing was to be the icing... for the 'buns' on a hamburger cake I was making for my sons birthday. The pb icing was very greasy when I was mixing it, I had popped my butter in the microwave to hurry along the 'room temperature" process. I'm sure that was probably a mistake. It was a greasy gooey, very DENSE mess. I kept checking the recipe while my hubby continued to blend it. It finally turned lighter and fluffier. While it tasted excellent. It was not the right choice for this particular cake. The 'hamburger patty' kept sliding off the bun initially, due to the greasieness of the peanutt butter icing. I finished it and popped it in the freezer, and it stiffened up and was a HUGE HIT. Whit my son and everyone else. Read more
recipe Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing
Kallie McMinnville, TN 10-13-2009
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YUM!!!!!!!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

Great!!! My family and co-workers enjoyed every bite.