Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

This may be the first time I have baked for absolutely no reason whatsoever...and it most certainly will not be the last. I was so good about following the recipe this time...at least the cupcake part. I made them mini, and I think I only baked them for about 6-8 minutes before they were done. The ones that I pressed 2-4 peanut butter chocolate chips into were SO GOOD!  For the frosting, I left out the peanutbutter, b/c I felt there was enough peanutbutter going on in this recipe and it needed some solid chocolate to even it out. The frosting was thinner than I expected, so I still haven't gotten to do a cupcake where I pipe on the decor, but they were tasty!  I kept them refrigerated b/c the whipping cream made me nervous and the frosting tended to get really soft after sitting out too long.

In the future, I may do a darker chocolate frosting that is more of a butter-cream or cream cheese type. All that said...they were delicious!

Cupcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 oz good quality dark chocolate
1/2 stick butter, room temp
4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cups milk
1 cup peanutbutter chocolate chips (optional)

Frosting
3oz milk chocolate
1/2 stick butter cut into small pieces
1 2/3 cups powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
Peanut-chocolate candies (peanut M&M's, Reese's Pieces etc)

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
3. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Set aside and cool.
4. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, peanut butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add cooled chocolate and blend well. Alternately beat in dry ingredients and milk.
5. Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling cups about 2/3 full. Sprinkle a few peanut chocolate chips over each cupcake, gently pressing them into the batter with a fork. Bake for 25 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.
6. To make the frosting: heat chocolate and butter in a double boiler or a microwave until just melted.
7. Remove from heat and cool. Using a whisk or a wooden spoon, beat sugar, salt, cream, and vanilla until smooth. Add cooled chocolate mixture and peanut butter and beat until blended. Put the frosting in the refrigerator until it thickens (about 20-30 minutes).
8. Remove from refrigerator, beat until frosting is of spreading consistency and frost cooled cupcakes. Decorate with peanut-chocolate candies.

Chocolate Sundae Cupcakes

Made these (at least the mini version) for the MC staff and families that were all over this past Sunday for lunch. Steve invited the whole team (amounting to 14 adults, 4 kids and 2 babies) over to our 900 sq ft apartment for fajitas, and it was the perfect excuse to start working on my cupcake recipes!  To be honest, I was not impressed, and will probably not do these again. It didn't register when I read the recipe, that the frosting would harden- which did make it easier to spread, and prettier, but not as soft and sweet.  Of course, I substituted 1 1/2 tsp vanilla for the vanilla bean (they are $6 ea at HEB!!), but other than that I stuck to the recipe religiously. The cupcakes themselves were dry in my opinion...not sure if it was the recipe, making them miniature, or over baking. They were pretty cute though...I didn't do the cherries, but I put a single butter toffee peanut on top of each. Took me about 2.5 hours to make them and clean up, and it made 32. 

Vanilla Cupcake:
3/4 c milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 c all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 stick of butter at room temp
1 c sugar
1 egg

Old Fashioned Fudge Frosting:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Peanuts/Cherries for garnish

1. In a small saucepan, heat milk with vanilla bean. When milk boils, remove from heat immediately and let cool, about an hour. After the milk has cooled, remove the vanilla bean and scrape out the inside into the milk. Discard the bean.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar  until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Alternately add dry ingredients and milk, mixing well after each addition.
4. Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling cups about 2/3 full. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.
5. To make the frosting:mix sugar, milk, cocoa, and salt in a medium pan. Cook slowly over medium heat until mixture forms a soft ball when dropped into a glass of water (about 234F on a candy thermometer). This may take 15 minutes. Remove mixture from heat. Add butter and vanilla and blend well.
6. Put pan in cold water and beat until mixture is of spreading consistency. This could take 15 minutes. Spread on cupcakes immediately, sprinkle with peanuts, if desired, and top with a cherry before the frosting hardens.

Simple Herb Pesto

1 cup each parsley and cilatro (or basil)
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 Tbsp capers
3 anchovie fillets
1 clove garlic
1/4 c oil
salt and pepper

Blend everything except the oil in a food processor until combined. Salt and pepper to taste and stir in oil.

I really loved the flavor of this. I had never opened a tin of anchovies, so that made me a bit nervous, but it gave it a great flavor. I spread theit over small thin toasts to make bruschetta, and it was delicious. It would also be great with pasta, or to cook with meats or veggies!

Simple Fruit Dip

8 oz Neufchatel cheese
1/4 c Marshmallow Fluff
3 Tblsp Raspberry Preserves

I only made 1/2 a recipe as a small group was coming over, and it needed a bit more marshmallow fluff (of course I like everything sweeter!). I think a squeeze of lemon juice would have been nice, and made it a little smoother. Serve with strawberries and apple slices!