Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Tagalongs
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
For the peanut butter filling
For the ganache
For the peanut butter buttercream
Instructions
For the cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin pans with paper liners.
  2. Place cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour in boiling water and whisk until smooth. Add buttermilk and whisk until combined.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  4. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until combined. Beat in half of the dry ingredients, then half of the cocoa mixture. Repeat and mix until all ingredients are incorporated, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl if needed. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for about 20 minutes, until springy and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.
For the peanut butter filling
  1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter until creamy. Sift in the confectioner’s sugar and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Transfer into a piping bag fitted with the filling tip. Plunge the tip into the top of the cupcake, pushing it about 3/4 of the way down. Squeeze the pastry bag to fill the cupcake and gradually withdraw as you squeeze. You will notice the cupcake slightly expanding. This part is kind of trial and error since you can’t see exactly how much you’re putting in there. You’ll know it’s getting too full if the top starts to crack. Repeat until all cupcakes are filled.
For the ganache
  1. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache sit to cool and thicken for about 20 – 30 minutes.
  2. Dip the cupcake tops into the ganache, gently shaking off excess back into the pan. Repeat until all cupcakes are coated.
For the buttercream
  1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. With the speed on low, gradually mix in 2 cups of the confectioner’s sugar until combined. Add vanilla and heavy cream, mixing until incorporated. Add remaining 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar and once it’s combined turn up the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 – 2 minutes. Mixture should be smooth and creamy. Add more confectioner’s sugar if it’s too thin or more heavy cream/milk if it’s too thick.
  2. Use a piping bag and preferred tip to frost the cupcakes. Drizzle with remaining ganache (I find it easiest to use a piping bag with a very small, round tip) then sprinkle with crushed Tagalongs.