Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Um, why didn't anybody tell me how freakin' cute mini cupcakes are? And that a simple recipe makes like 300? And that peanut butter chips are the most awesome creation ever? WHY? WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED?

Well, joke's on you. Because I figured it out all by myself last weekend! Thanks to the awesome host of Mystery Dish this month, who included peanut butter chips and buttermilk to the list of our secret ingredients. After much deliberation, I decided the best way to incorporate both into a recipe would be to create mini chocolate cupcakes topped with a whipped peanut butter ganache.

Oh yeah, whipped peanut butter ganache. That's a real thing. And it tastes like heaven. You have to try it. You have to try these cupcakes! I used my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe which is a very slight adaptation off of Jaclyn's recipe. It makes for the fluffiest, moistest chocolate cupcakes ever.

Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Yield: Approximately 4 1/2 dozen mini cupcakes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

pinch of vanilla powder (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

1/3 cup hot water

1/4 cup sour cream

For the peanut butter ganache:

10 oz. peanut butter chips

3/4 cup heavy cream

For the chocolate glaze:

3 oz. milk chocolate chips

2 teaspoons butter

1 and 1/2 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 24-cup mini muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add oil, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla, and whisk together until well-combined. Stir in hot water. Then, whisk in sour cream.

Pour batter into prepared liners, filling each liner about halfway full. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process until all of the batter is used.

To prepare the ganache, place peanut butter chips in a heat-safe bowl. In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream until simmering. Pour heated heavy cream over peanut butter chips and let sit for 2-3 minutes; then stir together until smooth and well-blended.

Place ganache in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes or until it has thickened. Then, using an electric hand mixer, beat the ganache until fluffy and light in color. Transfer whipped ganache to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe a dollop of ganache onto each cooled cupcake.

Place the cupcakes in the fridge while you prepare the chocolate glaze. Add chocolate chips, butter, and hot water to the bowl of a double boiler and stir occasionally until chocolate is completely melted.

Dip the ganache on the cupcakes halfway into the glaze, letting the excess drip off.

Check out what the rest of the Mystery Dish gals cooked up this month!