When I was a little kid, there were three things I would not eat–Burgers, Hot Dogs, and Cupcakes. I would eat meatloaf, regular cake, cookies and the like, but refused to eat those three. I also refused to eat sweet potatoes (That’s because my dad told my little girly self that they were pink inside and when I discovered otherwise, I was quite perturbed.), but that’s for another day. Finally, after enough prodding, my parents realized why I avoided these three foods. Too much fluff. I was born a kid who loved rich food and I hated the buns–or for cupcakes, the cake part, which is much too large in most cake to frosting ratios. I could not fathom–and yes, at the end of all this I did graduate college, surprise!–that I could eat these items sans bun/cake. I still to this day eat my hot dogs and hamburgers bunless and lick the frosting off the top of cupcakes.
The following recipe, one that my mother adapted and recrafted from an Ina Garten recipe, is the only cupcake of which I will ever eat the cake. Her genius of doctoring up a cake mix into moist clouds of deliciousness under mounds of peanut butter crack is incredible. My friend, Joanna, and I one time made “extra frosting by mistake” when we were making these and downed the bowl. At least the peanut butter has protein, right?
I once watched one of Rico’s friends take a cupcake down in one bite. I might have almost vomited.
Part 1 (The Cupcake)
Cupcake Ingredients:
- 1 chocolate cake mix, super moist variety
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Peanut butter frosting (recipe follows)
Preheat oven according to directions on box. Prepare cake mix according to recipe on box and stir in instant coffee and vanilla. Fill 12 paper-lined muffin cups 2/3rds-full (about 1/3 cup batter) with batter. You will not use up all of the batter. Bake according to directions on box (possibly a few minutes longer) until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for a few minutes. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely before icing. Frost liberally with frosting (recipe below). Makes 12 cupcakes.
Part 2 (The Frosting)
Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
In large bowl with an electric mixer, blend together the sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt on low speed (otherwise sugar will fly everywhere), scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until mixture is light and smooth.
Store cupcakes at room temperature if to be eaten that day. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 days and allow to return to room temperature, uncovered, for about 1 hour before serving if making ahead.
These cupcakes are magical. The first time I made them for a party, I stuffed a few in my majorly over-sized purse to bring to my friends at a concert I was going to that night. I ended up sitting and talking to the tour manager of one of my FAVORITE metal bands because he saw me doling out cupcakes, and he begged for one. I not only got a free t-shirt, but met the band and flipped out like a little girl at a Jonas Brothers’ Concert. Sorry Rico, but if any of you ladies met the singer of this band, you’d swoon as well…
Here’s a picture of my friend, Rita, and me with the singer (Trevor from the Black Dahlia Murder) another time I met him. Commence Swooning…
OK, maybe he’s only attractive if you’re into that whole, I scream into a microphone and only wear black thing. But hey, we all have our guilty pleasures.
yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yum