Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

Based out of the book One Cake, One Hundred Desserts, these yummy cupcakes are very sophisticated but taste just like a Reeses with a different texture. This recipe makes 12-14 cupcakes.

Prepare a batch of peanut butter mousse. Put it in the fridge to set.

The Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350. Line cupcake tin with muffin liners.

You can use any chocolate cake recipe for this, but here's the one I used from the book:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder, whisked to remove lumps
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temp
• 3 large egg yolks, room temp
• 3/4 cup sugar

This cake has a lot of steps, but is very yummy and not nearly as complicated as it appears:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease bottom of 11" x 17" inch jelly roll pan (or cookie sheet with sides), line with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and grease & flour the paper/foil
• Combine flour, cocoa, and baking powder in large bowl. Set aside.
• Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. As soon as the butter is melted, remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Set aside.
• Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer (or if using a hand mixer, the regular beaters), whip the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a large mixing bowl on high speed for 3 minutes. The mixture will triple in volume and turn a very pale yellow. Reduce the speed to medium and continue whipping for 3 minutes (if using a hand mixer, keep it on high speed). The mixture should continue to increase in volume and thicken.
• With the mixture on the lowest speed, slowly sprinkle 1/4 of the flour mixture over the eggs and mix until no trace of white remains. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture in 2 additions; reserve the empty flour bowl. When the flour is fully incorporated, the batter will be thick and stiff; if you let it pour off the whisk into the bowl, it will fall back on itself like a ribbon.
• Melt the chocolate in a large bowl (do this right before it's needed, so the chocolate doesn't set). Add the warm milk and butter to the chocolate and stir to combine.
• Pour half of the batter into the empty flour bowl. Pour the warm milk/chocolate mixture into the batter and stir quickly gently until chocolate is evenly distributed.
• Slowly pour the milk/batter mixture back into the mixing bowl, and using a rubber spatula, fold the mixtures together quickly but gently until fully blended. You will see tiny air bubbles appear on the surface; work quickly to prevent too much air from escaping.
• Fill each cupcake liner with 1/3 cup batter; it will come almost to the top. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the surface springs back when poked with your finger and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs but is not wet.
• Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
• With a small knife, cut out a shallow circle of cake from the center of each cupcake and set aside. Divide the mousse among the cupcakes, then place the reserved cake atop the mousse.
• Serve, or store cupcakes in the fridge. Remove about 20 minutes before serving to take the chill off.

Enjoy!