Sweet Surrender

 Sweet Surrender  ............. just give yourself over now

Chocolate cupcake with chocolate peanut butter ganache filling and peanut butter buttercream frosting. 

With this cupcake, you will gain many a new follower and your admirers will genuflect.  Trust me...I've seen it with my own eyes.  Or just eat them all yourself...I almost did. 

Recipe:

Any dark chocolate, chocolate fudge, cake brownie or doctored box recipe (my favorite Dr. recipe is cake mix, 4 eggs, 2 TBSP veg. oil, 1/4 cup milk, 1 package pudding mix in complimentary flavor,  mix all together for 2 minutes, bake 350 till tooth pick comes out clean,  generally 40 min)

For the cake in the picture I used a slightly modified Warren Brown Cakelove recipe for chocolate pound cake which included brandy and turbinado sugar.  My version however still needs a little more work.  I wanted to go ahead and show you the other "parts" to the cupcake as they are so incredible that you do not need a "perfect" chocolate recipe.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache

Using a melon baller, carve out a cavity in each cupcake after baked and cooled.  Save the cupcake tops.

Ingredients:
12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup peanut butter

Bring whipping cream to a soft boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add chips and peanut butter, mix until fully melted.  Set aside to cool to a thick but not solid consistency.  Ganache can be placed in fridge to speed up cooling if necessary.

Once cooled, place in piping bag and pipe into cupcake cavity.  Replace cupcake tops.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients:
1 lbs powdered sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, room temperature
1 cup peanut butter
6 Tbs milk

Mix sugar, butter and peanut butter, gradually add milk 1 TBS at a time at low speed.  Add more/less depending on desired consistency.  Once milk is incorporated mix on high speed for 2 minutes.

I think I will go eat the last two that are in my fridge

One note about Chocolate.  I have read different opinions from bakers regarding using cocoa powder or melted chocolate or some combination of both for a chocolate cake.  I can't decide which is better. What recommendations are there out there?  I'm looking for a deep rich chocolate flavor without being too dense.