Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling, Whipped Chocolate Ganache, and Crushed Pretzel

Our church had a summer picnic this weekend. Cupcakes were on the sign-up list and I practically grabbed the clipboard out of the lady's hands. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to provide a sinful creation at a church function. I've just got that kind of sense of humor. These babies are stuffed with a peanut butter cream, topped with a whipped chocolate ganache and crushed pretzels. Oh. My. Word. I can't figure out if they were sinful or heavenly. They were devoured at the picnic. People kept asking for the recipe and hoping I had some extras stowed away somewhere. Others were certain they had come from a professional cupcakery. They took some time and were made with love, but the efforts were completely worth it. It is one extraordinary cupcake.


Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract 

Peanut Butter Cream Filling
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Whipped Chocolate Ganache
4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 pretzel per cupcake, crushed


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Recipe makes 36 cupcakes so you may have to cook it in batches unless you have three muffin tins.

3. Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined.

4. Add eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat on a medium speed until smooth. This should take just a couple of minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl to make sure everything got mixed in.

5. Fill each cupcake 2/3 full. I used a 1/4 measuring cup as a scoop and it was just short of that amount per cupcake.

6. Bake for 20-22 minutes until the cupcakes meet the toothpick test (stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean). Remove from tins and cool completely.

7. Make the peanut butter cream filling by combining the peanut butter, melted butter, and powdered sugar in a bowl using a hand mixer. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag with a large open tip. Insert the tip into the top of the cooled cupcakes and squeeze about a tablespoon of filling into the cupcake. If you inject too much it may split the cake.

8. Make the frosting by heating the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Pour over the chocolate chips. The heat of the cream will melt the chocolate chips. Let it stand for a couple minutes before stirring, then stir until smooth. Let it cool to room temperature. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip it until it is firm enough to hold a shape. Pipe it onto the cooled and stuffed cupcakes in whatever fashion you think is cute. I just use a plain swirl. Top with crushed pretzel.