I am not a big chocolate cake fan. But I thought it would be amazing combined with a peanut butter frosting. And yep, it was.
For these cupcakes I used the Chocolate Cherry Pepsi cupcake recipe minus the cherries and with some other minor tweaks. https://allthingskrista.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/cherry-pepsi-cupcakes/
I really liked how chewy, but still fluffy these cupcakes came out when I used this recipe before and I attribute that to the fizziness the soda and baking soda creates.
Oven at 350, about a dozen cupcakes
Cake Batter Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 3 tables cocoa powder (I used special dark)
- 1/2 tea baking soda
- 1/4 tea salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter (room temp)
- 1 egg (room temp)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3/4 cup Pepsi Throwback (or other cola)
- 2 tea vanilla extract (real stuff)
- 1 handful of peanut butter chips
Instructions:
in a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir up and sit to the side.- in another medium bowl combine the sugar and butter and then mix with a hand mixer until fluffyish.
- add the egg and mix until nice and fluffy. Sit to the side.
- in a small bowl combine the buttermilk, Pepsi and vanilla. stir up. It may look funky and bubbly. That’s ok.
- grab up the butter/sugar/egg bowl and the hand mixer, add in some of the flour mix, and start hand mixing, add some of the liquid mix, keep mixing, then flour, liquid, so on until it’s all combined.
- fold in the peanut butter chips.
- The batter will have a fluffier than usual cake batter consistency. It almost has a slightly mousse like texture when scooped.
- Scoop it into the cupcake papers, about 3/4 full like normal.
- Bake at 350 for about 19-21 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before icing.
I used the peanut butter frosting recipe that I made previously for my Fluffernutter Cupcakes, slightly altered. https://allthingskrista.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/fluffernutter-cupcakes/ I accidentally put in a little too much milk when I made them, but the amount listed below should be what you want to use. A little less gives a thicker, stiffer icing and a little more gives a softer icing.
Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter (room temp)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons milk
- 1 hanful of peanut butter chips
Step 1. Cream the butter and PB for about 2 mins
Step 2. Add the vanilla and mix for another min.
Step 3. Add sugar and mix for 2-3 mins.
Step 4. add 1-2 teas of milk to soften and mix for another 1-3 mins until fluffy.
Step 5. Fold in the peanut butter chips.
Step 6. When the cupcakes are completely cool, apply the icing in the manner of your choice.
I have come no where near masters the art of piping, and I was feeling a little lazy when the cupcakes were cooled, so I just spooned my icing on.
I really like the texture the peanut butter chips added to both the cake and the icing. My husband did not care for the chips in the icing, but did like them in the batter. So I guess it’s really preference.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
All Things Krista 