Peanut Butter Whiskey Cupcakes

Need some peanut butter and chocolate heaven in your life? These cupcakes will satisfy all your desires. And the whiskey? Well, that is what makes these cupcakes to die for.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 3 tablespoons canola oil

• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoon flour, not packed

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter Whiskey

• 18 peanut butter cups

Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

• 1 cup (2 stick) unsalted butter, very soft

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ cup Peanut Butter Whiskey

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 9 peanut butter cups, cut in half

INSTRUCTIONS

Cupcake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup cupcake/muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Melt the oil, butter, and chocolate together in a double boiler. Whisk mixture completely smooth and set aside to cool. (If on a time crunch, you can microwave, heating in 30 second increments, stirring between.)

In a medium-sized bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt; stir together until thoroughly combined and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, yolk, sugar and vanilla together; beat until smooth. Add the cooled oil/butter/chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Add half of the flour mixture, then half of the sour cream. Repeat the process until everything is added, and be sure to mix until combined. Add peanut butter whiskey, mix till combined and not to over mix.

Scoop 1 tablespoons of batter into the bottom of each cupcake tin, lightly press a peanut butter cup into the batter, then top with another 3 tablespoons of batter; each cupcake mold should be 3/4 full.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting:

Using an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter and butter on medium-speed until completely smooth. Beat in vanilla and peanut butter whiskey. Then add powder sugar till combined and frosting comes to peaks.

Once the cupcakes are cooled, spread or pipe the frosting on top then press half of a peanut butter cup on top for decoration and…

Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Blackberry Mascarpone filling and Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Spring is upon us bringing those yummy Blackberries. Now this may be made with or with out booze, even try a stout beer in the chocolate cupcake. Don't let the difficulty discourage you in making these cupcakes, I mean its quarantine... where you gunna go?

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Time: 45-60min

Dark Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda

• a pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup buttermilk

• 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• 2 eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Whipped Blackberry Mascarpone

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 8 ounces mascarpone

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (chilled)

• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar

• 1 teaspoon creme de cassis (optional)

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 4 ounces dark chocolate, melted

• 2 tablespoons reserved blackberry syrup

• pinch of salt

• 5 egg whites

• 1 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

*Fresh blackberries and chocolate curls for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS

Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake pan with paper cups.

Mix together Flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt

In a separate bowl, mix together all other ingredients.

Gradually add dry ingredients to liquid mixture and beat until just combined.

Spoon batter into cupcake pan and fill 1/2 of the way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Then, move to a wire rack to cool.

Whipped Blackberry Mascarpone

Add blackberries, sugar and 1 tablespoon of water to a medium saucepan on medium/high heat.

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 18-10 minutes until it begins to thicken. (Smash berries as best as possible to make the next step easier.) Remove from heat and let cool.

Using a fine mesh sieve (or a layered paper towel) separate the berries from the syrup. Reserve the syrup to be used in the buttercream and keep the berries for the filling.

Add all remaining ingredients to a bowl and mix until it reaches stiff peaks. (This may take a couple minutes. If using a hand mixer, put at highest power to ensure stiff peaks) Then, gently fold in the berries.

Dark Chocolate blackberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Add egg whites and sugar to a heat proof bowl and simmer over a pot of water, whisking constantly, until temperature reaches 160°F, or if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.

Transfer the sugar mixture to a bowl and begin to whip until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes or so).

Once your meringue has reached stiff peaks and the bowl no longer feels warm (should be neutral to cool!! If it is still warm, then the still peaks will fall when you continue to the next step), use the mixer on low speed. Begin to add butter cubes, one at a time, until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture. Mix in chocolate and blackberry syrup until incorporated. If peaks are falling, place frosting in the fridge to completely cool, then whip it on high to help get those stiff peaks again.

Assemble

Core out cooled cupcakes, to allow room for the filling, using a corer or a spoon.

Fill a piping bag (or a large ziplock bag) with filling, and pipe into cored out cupcakes.

Fill another piping bag with completely cooled/chilled frosting and decorate cupcakes. For some decoration, place a whole blackberry and shaved chocolate on top and ...

Enjoy!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

First non-boozy cupcake! (Not to say you cant make it boozy, I suggest a couple tablespoons of Bailey's in the frosting)... This cupcake will become a staple for spring or to simply curve the need for some sugar and chocolate.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Time: 40 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Cupcake

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3/4 cup & 2 tbsp sugar

• 2 egg whites

• 3/4 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup milk (I used skim)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup & 2 tbsp all purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 3/4 cup crushed oreos

Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• 1 cup finely blended oreos

INSTRUCTIONS

Cupcake

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners.

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar, beat using an electric mixer, 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Add in the egg whites, continue mixing. Add in the sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat lightly with the electric mixer.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a few spoonfuls at a time. Add in the crushed oreos. Mix until just incorporated. Fill the muffin liners 1/2-3/4 full.

Bake for 5 minutes at 400º F. Keeping the cupcakes in the oven, turn the heat down to 350ºF and bake for 8-9 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before adding the frosting.

Frosting

In a mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer till smooth.

Add vanilla extract and half of the powdered sugar. Beat till well combined. Continue to Add powdered sugar till frosting no longer looks wet and tastes good to you. Add in the finely blended oreos (I used a magic blender to make the oreos into more of a powder, if you use large pieces then it will be difficult to pipe frosting onto cupcakes). Then I use an electric mixer one last time to make sure the powdered sugar is really incorporated and ready to go. If the frosting becomes too thick, add a dash of milk or heavy cream.

Pipe frosting onto cupcakes, decorate with more oreos if desired and…

Enjoy!