Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache and Peanut Butter Frosting

What is it about people having babies that makes other people want to eat cupcakes?  I can't remember a baby shower, or a bridal shower for that matter, that didn't come with cupcakes.  Not that I'm complaining.  I love a good cupcake and I love being able to eat three kinds of cupcakes in one day and not feel the least bit guilty about it.  (Yes, that means that you get to hear about cupcakes today, tomorrow and Monday too.  Lucky you.)

We had a baby shower at work for two ladies who will be welcoming their first little ones very shortly and I was in charge of dessert.  I know you're surprised.

I've been wanting to try this chocolate cake recipe for a while because Pinterest said it's the best chocolate cake ever... ever... and I have to say the cake is pretty darn good.  It was moist and light with good chocolatey flavor.  It also held up really nicely in the cupcake liners and looked pretty.

I'm a big fan of chocolate cake that has coffee in it, it really brings out the chocolate flavor and this recipe is no exception.

That yummy chocolate cake got topped with ganache.

I wish I could record and play for you what comes out of CA's mouth every time I say the word ganache.  He likes to repeat it back to me multiple times in a voice that sounds kind of like a parrot.  It's weird and I always know it's coming but it still makes me laugh.

Ganache is actually super easy to make.  Chop up some chocolate, pour hot cream over it and let it sit.  The hot cream melts the chocolate so after a few minutes you just stir it up to make a pretty, smooth ganache.  Unfortunately, I neglected to take a picture of the finished product for you.  Sorry about that.

I also apologize for the pictures of the peanut butter frosting.  I don't know what was going on my with my camera but they all look weird and orange.  I promise it doesn't look like this in real life.  It looks like it would taste good, not like an oompa loompa.

Anyway... once the cupcakes get topped with ganache, they then get a good dose of peanut butter frosting.  The frosting is super delicious but it's THICK.  It's thick because it's supposed to look like a peanut butter cookie on top complete with fork thine marks.  This did NOT work for me.  I struggled with it, I yelled at it, I was super grumpy.  CA tried to help but I just got grumpier the more I messed with it.  At first the frosting was too soft and stuck to everything so I couldn't get it in the right shape. Then I chilled it, thinking that would help, and then it just cracked anytime I pressed on it with the fork.  So I gave up and just piped it on the cupcake and even that wasn't easy.  The frosting is thick and dense and didn't want to be piped.  I think I have arthritis in my hand now from squeezing it out of the piping bag.

Even though the frosting tested my patience, these cupcakes are delicious.  CA says they taste like a Reese's peanut butter cup.  I agree.  The guests at the baby shower loved these.  They were the 2nd most popular of the available options (and it's really not fair to ask anyone to compete with salted caramel which we'll talk about in a couple of days.  I know, it's not nice to tease).

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache and Peanut Butter Frosting
makes 24 cupcakes
Cake adapted from Lulu the Baker
Ganache and Frosting adapted from Tide and Thyme 

For the Cake

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour

2 cups Sugar

3/4 cups Cocoa Powder

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1 cup Buttermilk

1/2 cup Canola Oil

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 cup Hot Coffee

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.   Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners.

Combine all dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until combined. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients and beat just until smooth. Add coffee and mix just until incorporated.

Pour the batter (which will look really runny) into the prepared muffin cups.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick stuck in the center of each cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the Ganache

Ingredients:
6 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Instructions:

Place the chocolate in a small bowl.  Heat the cream to a simmer (I did this by heating it in the microwave).  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for about 2 minutes.  Whisk the chocolate and cream together until smooth.

For the Frosting

Ingredients:
9 T Butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups Cream Peanut Butter
3 cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions:

Combine the butter and peanut butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on medium-high speed for one minute until creamy.  Turn off the mixer and add the powdered sugar.  Mix on low speed until combined, then turn up the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes until smooth.

Assembly
Use an offset spatula to spread a layer of ganache on top of each cupcake.  Pipe or spread peanut butter frosting on top of the ganache layer.

Enjoy!
Julie