Chocolate Carbonation Peanut Butter Cup Surprise Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Hi, I'm Kyleen and I'm the sixteen-year old girl behind sixteenbeans. This month, I made Chocolate Carbonation Peanut Butter Cup Surprise Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting.

 *          *          *

I’m a peanut-butterist. I’m that kind of girl who dips a spoon into the peanut butter jar and scrapes the sides of the jar in an attempt to get as much peanut butter on the spoon. It’s actually kind of strange that I’m not allergic to peanut butter, seeing as I’m allergic to walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts (I wish I could try Nutella...), and basically every other kind of nut. Maybe I’ve outgrown my allergies and I just don’t know because I haven’t tried any of those nuts in such a long time.

Either way, I count my blessings that I’m not allergic to peanuts. Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to enjoy Boiled Peanuts with Chinese Five Spice or these scrumptious Chocolate Carbonation Peanut Butter Cup Surprise Cupcakes (oh no, I just gave the surprise away) with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting.

I made these for the Have the Cake November challenge, which was to make a carbonation cake. After some research, I deduced that any box mix could be made into cake using pop instead of butter and eggs. I decided to use my chocolate cake recipe and just replace the liquid ingredients with soda water (who needs all that extra sugar from soda). Although I was skeptical, I have to admit that these cupcakes don’t taste half-bad, considering that they were made with just soda water and one egg. Butter is butter and it can’t be replaced, but these low-fat cupcakes were passable.

If you’re not into the whole no-butter or oil low-fat cupcake, then make these cupcakes and hide peanut butter cups in them. Of course, I think almost anything with peanut butter tastes good, so I’d give these cupcakes two sticky, peanut-buttery thumbs up.

Click below for the recipe.

Chocolate Carbonation Peanut Butter Cup Surprise Cupcakes (oh no, I just gave the surprise away) with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from: Food & Wine, May 2008

Yield: 12 medium cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 1 can sparkling water (355 mL)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup granulated plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 package mini peanut butter cups

Frosting:

• 3 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons peanut butter, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

For the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. 

In a medium bowl, mix the sparkling water, egg, and vanilla extract until combined. 

In a large bowl, sift flour with sugar, cocoa powder, instant coffee granules, baking soda, and salt. Add the wet ingredients and beat until smooth, scraping the bottom and side of the bowl. The batter will be thin. Pour batter into lined muffin tins, filling them about three-quarters full. Drop a couple peanut butter cups into each cupcake. 

Bake cupcakes in the center of the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until springy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool slightly, and then transfer them to a rack to cool completely before frosting. 

For the frosting, in a medium bowl beat cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and continue to whip until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Using a palette or butter knife, frost the cupcakes as desired. Garnish with a mini peanut butter cup.