#48 Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcake
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sour cream
Frosting
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard-size muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. (You can also microwave the mixture at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.) Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.
4. Whisk eggs in second large bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter comes together – do not over mix.
5. Divide the batter evenly among cupcake pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
6. Take cupcakes out of pan and let cool. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.
Frosting
7. Place the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.