Slices of my life

Chris and I had a hankering for some really chocolaty cupcakes. These certainly became a project! We combined three different recipes which gave us this super delicious finished project.

Peanut Butter Mousse

First, we made the peanut butter mousse.

Whatcha Need:

• 1/3  cup  whipping cream
• 1/2  of an 8-ounce package  cream cheese, softened
• 2/3  cup  creamy peanut butter (do not use natural peanut butter)
• 2  tablespoons  milk
• 1/2  cup  sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla

How to do it:

1. In a chilled small mixing bowl beat whipping cream with chilled beaters of an electric mixer on low to medium speed until soft peaks form; set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and milk with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until mixture is smooth. Gently fold in beaten whipped cream, half at a time, until mixture is smooth. Cover and chill for 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Chocolate Cupcakes

After making the mousse, we refrigerated it and began working on the cake mix.

Whatcha Need:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoons vanilla
• 2/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

How to do it:

1. Beat butter until softened.
2. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
4. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small sized bowl and whisk to combine.
5. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine.
6. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine.
7. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.
8. Stir in chocolate chips.
9. Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 1/2 full.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

The cake mix was pretty simple, yet uber chocolaty and decadent. Once the cupcakes were cool, Chris got to work filling them with the peanut butter mousse. Use a small paring knife to cut a cone into the cupcake. Spoon or pipe ( piping will be easier) peanut butter mousse into the hole. Replace the top. Don’t worry if the top of the cupcake doesn’t look pretty any more, you are going to frost over it so no one will know the difference.

Chocolate Frosting

Once Chris was done filling them, I piped this simple (yet delicious) frosting onto the cupcakes.

Whatcha Need:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup cocoa
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to do it:

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.