Dark Chocolate Cupcakes With Peanut Butter Filling Recipe

How to make it

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• Preheat the oven to 350° and position 2 racks in the lower and middle third of the oven.
• Line 24 muffin cups with paper or foil liners.
• Put the cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl.
• Add the boiling water and whisk until a smooth paste forms.
• Whisk in the buttermilk until combined.
• In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 sticks of the butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then beat in the dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with the cocoa mixture.
• Carefully spoon the cupcake batter into the lined muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full.
• Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are springy.
• Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
• In a medium bowl, beat the peanut butter with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until creamy.
• Sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Spoon all but 3 tablespoons of the peanut butter filling into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch star tip.
• Holding a cupcake in your hand, plunge the tip into the top of the cake, pushing it about 3/4 inch deep.
• Gently squeeze the pastry bag to fill the cupcake, withdrawing it slowly as you squeeze; you will feel the cupcake expand slightly as you fill it.
• Scrape any filling from the top of the cupcake and repeat until all of the cupcakes are filled.
• In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer.
• Off the heat, add the semisweet chocolate to the cream and let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk the melted chocolate into the cream until smooth.
• Let the chocolate icing stand until slightly cooled and thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the icing, letting the excess drip back into the pan.
• Transfer the cupcakes to racks and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Dip the tops of the cupcakes again and transfer them to racks. Spoon the remaining 3 tablespoons of peanut butter filling into the pastry bag and pipe tiny rosettes on the tops of the cupcakes.
• MAKE AHEAD The cupcakes are best served the same day they are made, but they can be refrigerated overnight in an airtight container.
• Tip:
• If you don't have a pastry bag with a fitted tip, you can fill these cupcakes by carving a hole in the center (from the top) with a sharp paring knife. Put the filling in a resealable plastic bag and snip off one of the corners. Pipe the filling directly into the hole.