These decadent treats taste like your favorite Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in cake form. Each chocolate fudge cupcake has a creamy peanut butter filling and is topped with homemade malted vanilla buttercream along with a drizzle of melted chocolate and a sprinkle of crushed chocolate-covered pretzels.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr 50 min |
| Active: | 1 hr 20 min |
| Yield: | makes 18 cupcakes |
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (164 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon (4 grams) baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) salt
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (86 grams) boiling water
- 1 cup (84 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup (176 grams) buttermilk
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks; 168 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (234 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature (68 grams)
- 1 teaspoon (2.5 grams) vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/3 cups (325 grams) creamy peanut butter
- 5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (90 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon (8 grams) vanilla bean paste
- Two 1-pound boxes (7 1/2 cups; 900 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup (70 grams) malted milk powder
- 1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks; 400 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (76 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (11.3 grams) vanilla bean paste
- 1/3 cup (76 milliliters) melted chocolate, for drizzling
- 1/3 cup crushed chocolate-covered pretzels, for sprinkling
Instructions
- For the chocolate fudge cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 muffin cups of standard muffin tins with cupcake liners.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Combine the boiling water and cocoa powder in another bowl and stir with a heatproof spatula until it becomes a thick paste. Stir in the buttermilk, then whisk until smooth and set aside.
- Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until pale in color and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, yolk and vanilla bean paste and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low. Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk mixture in 2 additions each. Mix until just combined.
- Fill each prepared muffin cup with batter until about two-thirds full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the tins, then turn out cupcakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the peanut butter filling: Beat the peanut butter and butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners’ sugar, salt and nutmeg and mix to combine. Next, add the milk and vanilla bean paste and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Place in a medium piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip.
- For the malted vanilla buttercream: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and malted milk powder in a medium bowl. Beat the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream and vanilla bean paste and beat on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Place in a large piping bag fitted with a 1-inch or larger plain round tip.
- For the assembly: Use a rounded teaspoon or a melon baller to scoop out a small core in the center of each cupcake and fill it with peanut butter filling. Smooth out the top. Pipe a large swirl of malted vanilla buttercream on the top. Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with crushed chocolate-covered pretzels.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 18 servings |
| Calories | 525 |
| Total Fat | 18 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 91 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 77 g |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Cholesterol | 67 mg |
| Sodium | 191 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 18 servings |
| Calories | 525 |
| Total Fat | 18 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 91 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 77 g |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Cholesterol | 67 mg |
| Sodium | 191 mg |