Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Cupcakes

These are wonderfully decadent...


This recipe is from the Well-Fed Newlyweds, who adapted it from the Cooking Club of America.

Ingredients:
Truffles:
6 oz. white chocolate, chopped (I used half a bag of white chocolate chips.)
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder

Cupcakes:
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. strong coffee, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 c. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Ganache Frosting:
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
3 oz. semisweet chocolate
3 T creamy peanut butter

Directions:
1. Form the truffles:  
Place white chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl.  Set power to 50% and nuke for 2 minutes; stir and microwave in 30 second increments until chocolate is melty.  (Note:  if you microwave until it looks melted on top, the bottom will be burned.)  

Stir in 1/4 c. peanut butter until smooth.  Refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes or until firm.  Scoop out a tablespoon, roll into a 1-inch ball, and place on waxed paper-lined plate.  Repeat until you have a dozen (plus one to eat immediately.)  

Roll each ball in cocoa powder to coat completely. 

Freeze on lined plate until frozen solid (a couple of hours), or up to overnight. 

2.  Make the cupcakes:  
Heat oven to 350°F and put paper liners into your muffin tin.  In medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  In large bowl, beat together buttermilk, coffee, eggs, and vanilla.  

In several additions, beat flour mixture into liquids.  Add melted butter.  Increase speed to medium-high; beat for two minutes.  Divide batter equally among muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full.

Gently drop frozen truffle into center of each batter-filled cup.  Do not push truffle into batter (it will sink during baking).  

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.  Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely.

 
3.  Make the frosting:
Bring cream to a boil over medium heat.  Remove pan from heat; drop in semisweet chocolate and let sit for a couple of mintues to melt.  Stir.

Add 3 tablespoons peanut butter; stir until smooth. Pour into small bowl; cool 30 minutes or until room temperature.  Spread a tablespoon on each cupcake; let stand until set.

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