Chocolate + Peanut Butter = Love

 When it came to deciding which cupcake to make first, I sorta panicked. I needed the first one to be cool looking, yummy, & easy enough that I couldn't mess it up. I decided on a Brownie Buckeye Cupcake because it met all of the above mentioned criteria My only hesitation was the name. Isn't Ohio the Buckeye state? I'm totally not in Ohio.

Anyway, here is my finished product: The Brownie Buckeye Cupcake
aka chocolaty, peanut buttery goodness!

If I had to rate this recipe's difficulty level, it would be rated as easy. The cupcake itself is actually a boxed brownie mix (hey! don't judge....it tastes delicious) Also, the remainder of the ingredients are pretty common, and come together easily. If you're a beginner to the baking world, this one will be a snap. 

The Recipe: 

Batter:

16-18 miniature peanut butter cups

1 box Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix

3 large eggs

1/4 c water

1/2 c oil

Icing:

1/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 c creamy peanut butter

2 1/2 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 c powdered sugar

Topping:

16-18 miniature peanut butter cups

Ganache:

1 c creamy peanut butter

1 c semisweet chocolate (I didn't have any, so I used chocolate chips, which worked just fine for me)

2 tbsp light corn syrup

1/2 c half & half

To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and prep your cupcake pans with your cupcake liners. Unwrap your peanut butter cups & set them aside.

Prepare brownie mix as if you are going to make cake-like brownies. Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full, then stick 1 peanut butter cup in batter, upside down, then gently push down. Add just a smidge more batter to the top of the peanut butter cup, to barely cover it up.

Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. To check if they are done, insert a toothpick to the brownie. It's done if it comes out almost clean.
Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 min, then remove to a wire rack & cool completely

For frosting, cream butter & peanut butter together. Add vanilla & 2 tbsp of milk. Slowly add in powdered sugar, 1/2 a cup at a time. Mix together. Add remaining milk, to your desired consistency.

Fill a piping bag, and pipe frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes. I couldn't find my 1M tip, so I had to improvise - I cut a hole at the end of the piping bag & just started squeezing! I guess I'll be heading to my fav cake decorating supply store to get a new tip, huh? (YAY!) After you're all frosted, top frosting with a peanut butter cup.

Originally I was going to use bittersweet chocolate for the ganache, but then realized that I don't like bittersweet chocolate. I decided to use semisweet chocolate, but didn't have any in block form. Alas, there was a lonely looking bag of semisweet chocolate chips in the pantry, so I grabbed it, and head for the stove.

For ganache, put chocolate, peanut butter, & corn syrup in double boiler (or a glass bowl set over simmering water.) Whisk occasionally, until completely smooth. Remove from heat, and add half & half, beating until smooth. Drizzle over cupcakes while still warm.

Have fun with this one!! Next week: Cherry Limeade Cupcakes...mmmm!!!!