Peanut Filled Devils Food Cupcakes

PEANUT BUTTER CREAM-FILLED DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line one 12-cup and one 6-cup muffin pan with paper or foil cupcake liners.
• Make the cupcakes: Sift the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together three times. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer at high speed for 15 seconds until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 6 more minutes. With the mixer at its lowest speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture. Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla, then another one-third of the flour mixture. Beat in the coffee and then the remaining flour mixture. Fill the muffin cups halfway and bake for 25 minutes, or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed. Set the pans on a rack to cool.
• Make the peanut butter filling: Beat the butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until blended. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat for 3 to 5 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Spoon the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip. Insert the tip into the top of each cooled cupcake and squeeze approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons filling into each cupcake.
• Make the ganache frosting: Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until scalding. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let sit 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Let sit 10 minutes, until thick but still pourable. Dunk the tops of the cupcakes into the frosting to coat, then place on a rack and sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Transfer to the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set.

PEANUT-FILLED DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners., In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Add vanilla; beat in eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and coffee just until blended., Filled prepared cups half full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks; cool completely., Using a melon baller, scoop out the center of each cupcake, about 1 inch deep. For filling, beat peanut butter and butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Pipe or spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into the center of each cupcake., For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Spoon scant 1 tablespoon ganache over each cupcake, spreading as needed. Sprinkle with peanuts. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers.

PEANUT BUTTER FILLED DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the Devil's Food cake: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Generously coat a 12-slot muffin tin with nonstick vegetable spray. Into a large bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together, three times. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together at high speed for 15 seconds, until combined. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes more. With the mixer on its lowest setting, beat in a third of the flour mixture. Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla, then another third of the flour. Beat in the coffee and then the remaining flour. Fill the cups of the muffin tin 2/3 full and bake 15 minutes, or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed and a cake tester comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool.
• For the Peanut Butter Buttercream Filling: Beat the butter and peanut butter in a mixing bowl until blended. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Scrape the Peanut Butter filling into a pastry back fitted with 1/4-inch plain tip. With a small knife, carefully carve a 1-inch round by 1-inch deep plug out of the bottom of cupcakes, you're going to need the plug to refill the hole, so don't chuck it out. Fill with peanut butter cream. Cut a 1/4-inch disk off the cake plug and cover the exposed cream.
• For the Ganache Frosting: Put the chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring the cream just to the simmering point. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and, working from the center out, gently stir with a whisk to melt the chocolate and blend until smooth.
• Dunk the cupcakes into the frosting to coat, then place on a rack, frosted side up. Transfer to the refrigerator for up to 20 minutes to set before serving.

CREAM FILLED DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Set rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line a 12 slot muffin pan with large paper or foil cupcake liners. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt together 3 times. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together at high speed for 15 seconds until combined. Add the eggs 1 at a time beating until each is incorporated. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes longer. With the mixer at its lowest speed, beat in 1/3 the flour mixture. Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla, then another third of the flour. Beat in the coffee and then the remaining flour.
• Fill the sections of the muffin tin 1/2 full and bake for 15 minutes or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed. Set pan on a rack to cool.
• Peanut Butter Buttercream Filling: Beat the butter and peanut butter at medium speed in a mixing bowl until blended. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium, plain tip with filling. Insert tip into each cooled cupcake and squeeze approximately 3 tablespoons of filling into each cupcake.
• Ganache Frosting: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a scald in a small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Let sit for 10 minutes until thick, but still pourable. Dunk the top half of the cupcakes into the frosting to coat, then place on a rack and sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Transfer to the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set.

PEANUT-BUTTER-FILLED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with cooking spray, then dust with cocoa, tapping out excess. In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using a mixer, beat in eggs, buttermilk, oil, and 3/4 cup water on medium until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Divide batter among cups and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes and let cool completely on rack.
• In a large bowl, using mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and peanut butter on high until fluffy, 3 minutes; fold in marshmallow topping. Transfer to a zip-top bag and cut off one corner to make a 1/2-inch opening.
• With a melon baller, scoop out center of each cupcake base and set aside (these pieces will plug cupcakes after filling). Hollow out each cupcake a bit more, discarding crumbs. Fill cavities with peanut butter mixture and replace plugs. (Refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 1 week.) To serve, dust with confectioners' sugar.

MINT DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly spray 12 muffin cups.
• Heat butter and chocolate together in a small saucepan over low heat until melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.
• Mix milk, vinegar, and peppermint extract together in another small bowl.
• Beat sugar and eggs together in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, about 3 minutes. Add melted chocolate and beat well to combine. Pour in 1/2 cup boiling water and beat until batter is well-blended. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed until incorporated. Add milk mixture and blend well. Fill muffin cups 3/4-full with batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes.
• Combine 2 tablespoons cold water and gelatin in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until gelatin dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, but not until set, about 5 minutes.
• Combine 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and green food coloring in a large bowl. Whip with an electric mixer on low speed until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Beat in dissolved gelatin slowly. Increase speed to high and beat until frosting is stiff, about 3 minutes.
• Spread frosting over cooled cupcakes. Remove and discard cream filling from chocolate sandwich cookies; crush cookies. Scatter cookie crumbs over cupcakes.

CINNAMON-SCENTED DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly spray insides of 30 paper molds with nonstick spray; arrange paper molds on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Sift flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into large bowl. Combine sugar, coffee, buttermilk, oil, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla in another large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg mixture until blended. Add dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed until blended, scraping bowl occasionally, about 4 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each paper mold. Bake cupcakes, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and center is just firm to touch, about 24 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to racks and cool completely.
• Frost cupcakes with almond frosting. (Can be made ahead. Arrange cupcakes in deep disposable roasting pans. Cover pans with foil. Refrigerate up to 2 days, or store at room temperature 1 day. Bring chilled cupcakes to room temperature before serving.)
• Decorate cupcakes with mini roses up to 4 hours before serving.

DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
• To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting.