Mini Espresso Cakes With Peanut Butter Frosting Food

GRAHAM CRACKER CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly coat two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment rounds; lightly coat parchment with nonstick spray.
• Whisk together both of the flours, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl until combined. Beat the butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in another bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the whole eggs and yolks one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl, until the batter is completely combined, smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
• Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake, rotating the pans from left to right halfway through, until the cakes are a light golden brown and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the wire rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, then continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes longer. Set aside at room temperature until ready to assemble.
• To assemble: Place one cake domed-side down on a platter. Spread 1 cup of the frosting evenly over the top. Place the remaining cake domed-side up on top. Spread the top with 1 1/2 cups of frosting. Frost the sides of the cake with 1 1/2 cups of frosting and smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat. (It's okay if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides, smoothing it out with a large offset spatula.

CHOCOLATE AND ESPRESSO LAYER CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER ICING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two 8-inch nonstick cake pans with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, espresso, coconut oil, vanilla and eggs. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add in the wet mixture, whisking until just combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake on the center rack until puffed, the sides pull away from the edges and an inserted cake tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven, immediately cover them with clean kitchen towels and press any domed portions down¿careful, it's hot! (This will help make sure that you don't have to level the cakes.) Allow the cakes to cool in their pans to room temperature. When completely cooled, invert onto plates.
• For the icing: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed, about 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides with a spatula to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Add the peanut butter and mix on medium speed to combine. Again, turn the mixer off. Mix in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on LOW speed (or else you'll have powdered sugar everywhere!). Add the vanilla and mix once more.
• Transfer the icing to a piping bag. Ice the top of one cake layer, using a circular motion, starting from the outside and gradually moving to the center; do not ice the sides of the cake. Set the second cake layer on top of the first and repeat with the icing; again, do not ice the sides. Drag the back of a spoon in a side-to-side motion across the icing on top to lend a beautifully textured look to the icing.
• Sprinkle the iced cake with the chopped peanuts. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

PEANUT BUTTER LAYER CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, and line the bottom of each with a round piece of parchment. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together onto a piece of parchment or into a large bowl.
• Beat the butter, brown sugar, peanut butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until the mixture is light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low, and add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just combined.
• Evenly divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for a few minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Invert each onto a cooling rack, and remove the parchment. (The cakes can be stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 day.)
• For the buttercream: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan large enough to hold the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer above the water.
• Whisk together the granulated sugar, egg whites and salt in the stand mixer bowl. Set the bowl above the boiling water, and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar has completely dissolved. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Beat in 3/4 cup of the peanut butter until smooth. Beat in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. Continue beating on medium-high speed until the buttercream thickens into stiff peaks. (The mixture at some point may appear to be very liquidy, but continue to beat.) Beat in the vanilla.
• To assemble: Slice each cake in half, for a total of 4 cake rounds. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter on 3 of the rounds, dividing evenly. Put 1 round, peanut butter-side up, on a cake stand or serving platter, and spread about 3/4 cup of the buttercream on top, leaving about a 1/2-inch border all around. Repeat with 2 more layers of peanut-buttered cake and buttercream. Place the last cake round (without the peanut butter) on top. Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining buttercream. Refrigerate the cake until it sets up (this makes it possible to cut neat slices), at least 4 hours up to overnight. Sprinkle the top with peanut brittle before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

STUFFED PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES WITH SWIRLED PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
• For the filling: In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the caramel candies and heavy cream over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the candies have melted and the mixture is smooth, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
• For the cupcakes: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the granulated sugar and butter on high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in the vanilla and eggs. With the machine running, in batches, gradually add the flour mixture to form a thick batter. Beat in the peanut butter.
• Place 3 tablespoons of batter in the bottom of each cupcake liner. Top with 1 tablespoon of the caramel mixture. Add 1/4 cup of batter on top of the caramel mixture.
• Bake for 23 to 25 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out with moist crumbs. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin and cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour (center of cupcakes will fall during cooling).
• For the frosting: In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar and milk until smooth and creamy. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the peanut butter until swirls of peanut butter form throughout the frosting.
• Place the frosting in a piping bag and top the cupcakes or use a small spatula to frost the cupcakes.