PB Chocolate Cupcakes: Treats for Your Soul

Ok, so the title may be a bit dramatic but, seriously, these babies are just delectable. A treat for the eye and tastebuds. I think for me, personally, the ultimate flavor combination is a good, quality chocolate with peanut butter...classic...simple, yet dramatic...satisfying.

My best friend from middle school turned 30 last month and I made these cupcakes for her. Let me tell you a little bit about this girl. We met in the 7th grade and pretty much clicked right away. She's sweet, funny, and just fun to be around. We share the same faith, likes and dislikes, love for sushi and salt & vinegar chips and I love her family and she loves mine! We've been in and out of each other's lives over the last 18 years, had our share of ups and downs, fought with each other, laughed with each other, cried with each other, and lost touch. But through it all, she is still one of the very few people who know me inside and out, accept me for who I really am, and love me in spite of it. I'm so thankful that she moved within 40 minutes of me last year and that I was able to be in her wedding just over a year ago. I don't know what the future holds, but I know that whatever comes, I'll always be able to count on her! Thanks, Danielle! LYLAS!! :)

Danielle and I on the weekend of her wedding :)

Now back to the cupcakes....

Sorry, I know you want the recipes and how-to's but I just love looking at them! :)

Dark Chocolate Cake:


2 cups AP flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder (recipe calls for dutch process)
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup plain greek yogurt (recipe calls for sour cream)
1 1/2 cups water
2 T distilled white vinegar
1 t vanilla extract
2 eggs


Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with liners. Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl and whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and yogurt (or sour cream) and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Divide among cupcake liners. Bake until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before removing cupcakes from pan.


For the icing, I had some left over Cream Cheese Icing that I added peanut butter to until Danielle said it was enough. :) Yes, she was there with me when I made them and since they were for her...well, she was the boss.


For the chocolate-peanut butter drizzle, I just melted semi-sweet chips with peanut butter in the microwave. Sorry, I don't have amounts for you but it's really just up to you and your taste preference. Of course, the toppers were Reese's peanut butter cups, piped with more icing on top to make them look like mini cupcakes. I couldn't help it....I just love cupcakes! :)


Make these cupcakes! They are so delicious and will turn a rainy afternoon into a delight!! Until next time, happy reading and, more importantly, happy cupcake-ing!

Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Oh yes, folks. Get ready for some rich decadence! This cake is the ultimate chocolate-peanut butter indulgence. If you love peanut butter cups, you have to try this cake. I recommend a cold glass of milk or strong cup of coffee to go with it as it really is super intense! You start with a rich chocolate cake, add a delicious peanut butter cream cheese icing, and top it off with a chocolate peanut butter ganache. Oh, and I added some chopped Reese's PB cups on top. You know, because there just wasn't enough chocolate or peanut butter already.

Hello! Who wouldn't want a piece of that??

Oh yeah. I think we need a moment of silence....

Ok, so, this cake is for my boss's birthday. He will actually be out of the country on his birthday so we're celebrating a little early. He and a whole team of people are about to head over to Israel for a tour of the Holy Land and then a 10 day mission trip. Our ministry does this trip every year and I'm so excited to hear what God does!! Now, my boss is a true PB lover so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try this recipe that I found on...yep, you guessed it...Pinterest.

I found the recipe here and made just a few changes as follows....

Chocolate Cake:

2 cups AP flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder (recipe calls for dutch process)
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup plain greek yogurt (recipe calls for sour cream)
1 1/2 cups water
2 T distilled white vinegar
1 t vanilla extract
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and line pans with parchment paper. Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl and whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and yogurt (or sour cream) and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Divide among pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes. This cake is very soft and moist so, before crumb coating, stick it in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. This step IS needed. Trust me.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Icing:

10 oz cream cheese (recipe says "at room temperature" but I always keep it in the fridge until ready to use)
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I only use Jif)
*I also added 1 teaspoon of vanilla

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix. Gradually add the sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add peanut butter and continue to beat until light and fluffy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache:

8 oz semisweet chocolate (recipe says "coarsely chopped" but I used chips)
3 T creamy peanut butter
2 T light corn syrup
1/2 cup half & half

In the top of a double boiler, combine all ingredients except the cream and cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the half & half, whisking until smooth. Use while still warm but not hot. You want it to be spreadable but not so thin that it just runs everywhere when you pour it on the cake.

Well, my friends, I definitely can't wait until tomorrow when we get to enjoy this delightful cake. Of course, as soon as I'm over this respiratory infection, I'll be spending hours in the gym to make up for this and the last week. But, oh so worth it! Make it...you won't regret it! Until next time, happy reading and, more importantly, happy cupcake-ing!

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