Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

cupcake

One of my biggest weaknesses is peanut butter M&M’s. They can be a little hard to find in Sydney but thank goodness for all the convenience stores catering to the tourists in The Rocks! The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is hard to beat, and is one of my all time favourites. One of my favourite weekend breakfasts is peanut butter and nutella on toast, which is gooey and delicious, like a melted Snickers bar.

And this is why, when I saw this recipe on Epicurious, I bookmarked it immediately – chocolate brownie cupcakes with peanut butter frosting? Yes please. And with Easter right around the corner, what could be better than a decadent chocolatey treat?

The brownies are crispy and crackly on the outside, but the center is still ever so slightly gooey – a must for any brownie, as far as I’m concerned. The frosting is slathered on thick, and I added some extra vanilla extract and salt to cut through the sweetness of the icing sugar. On top I put a single slice of sautéed banana that was perfect with the flavours and textures of the cupcake. This is the best excuse to get chocolate on your fingers and then lick it off. So go on, indulge your inner child and your sweet tooth in one delicious treat.

Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Adapted from Epicurious
Makes 10

• 90g unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 225g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 85g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup plain flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Frosting
• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• ¾ cup smooth peanut butter
• 50g salted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2-4 teaspoons thickened cream, if needed

Sautéed Banana
• 1 banana, cut into 10 slices
• Butter

For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 10 standard muffin cups with paper liners. Combine butter and 225g chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until the mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from over the water and whisk both sugars into chocolate mixture and eggs one at a time. Whisk in vanilla, flour, salt and remaining chopped chocolate.

Divide between muffin cups and bake for about 20 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For frosting, place icing sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until mixture is smooth, adding cream by teaspoonfuls if frosting is too thick. Taste and add more salt if desired.

For sautéed bananas, melt butter in a small frypan over medium heat. Place banana slices in the pan, cooking for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Turn to cook the other side and drain on absorbent paper.

Spread frosting in swirls over cooled cupcakes, and top with a slice of sautéed banana.

20 Comments on “Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting”

  1. Chocolate and peanut butter is absolutely one of the best flavour combinations out there, so *swoon*!

    You should definitely start nagging those tourist shops to start stocking the American peanut butters put out by PB&Co – they do a dark chocolate peanut butter, white chocolate peanut butter, cinnamon and raisin peanut butter… I plan to fill my suitcase on ym last day in New York!

  2. I love M&M Peanut butter too! 🙂 They are so fattening that adding bananas make you feel less guilty as you are still getting your fruit intake right? Love the picture!

  3. Chocolate, peanut butter and banana are the ultimate dessert combination! You should try the Sky High recipe for sour cream chocolate peanut butter cake, I suspect you'd love it.

  4. mmmm I love Peanut Butter M&Ms! when I was living in Australia, I really missed American candy, but my boyfriend's mum found some 'lolly shops' and got me Reese's Pieces — you'd like those too!

    Those cupcakes look awesome. Peanut Butter and Banana, can never go wrong!

  5. Peanut Butter & Chocolate is the best combination ever. Period.
    These look so delicious, especially with the sauteed banana on top.

    If you want a supply of Peanut M&Ms, I spotted a 1kg bag at my local lolly shop in Melbs. Can ship you some if you want 🙂

  6. Yeah, PBM&Ms are soo good, and infinitely better than Peanut M&Ms (yikes!). 🙂 Dangerously addictive, as I'm sure these cupcakes were!

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