CHOCOLATE GANACHE PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES

I made these for my husbands birthday today. Must say best cupcakes EVER!!!!!!!!!!! REALLY REALLY GOOD!!!! BEST CUPCAKES EVER!!!

2 cups sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup baking cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature
½ cup oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
½ cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons milk
Ganache
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup cream
Peanut Butter Frosting
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
Chocolate curls / peanut butter cups, optional

Preheat oven to 180° C. In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients. Whisk buttermilk, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla until blended; add to the dry ingredients until combined. (Batter will be very thin.)
Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.
Bake 18 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl, cream peanut butter, butter, confectioners’ sugar and enough milk to achieve piping consistency.
Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a small round tip.
Fill with peanut butter filling. Insert tip into the top center of each cupcake; pipe about 1 tablespoon filling into each.

Place chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Dip the top of each cupcake into ganache; place on wire racks to set.

In a large heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, egg whites, salt and cream of tartar over low heat. With a hand mixer, beat on low speed 1 minute. Continue beating on low over low heat until frosting reaches 160°, about 8-10 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add vanilla. Beat on high until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.

Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. If mixture begins to look curdled, place frosting bowl in another bowl filled with hot water for a few seconds. Continue adding butter and beating until smooth. Beat in peanut butter 1-2 minutes or until smooth.

Place frosting in a pastry or plastic bag with large star tip; pipe onto each cupcake. If desired, top with chocolate curls. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature before serving.

Recipe and photo: Dalila De Barros Viljoen