Peanut Butter Truffle Cupcakes

Thursday, February 23, 2012

This week I was in the mood to create something new so that is just what I did.  Not exactly new, I picked bits and pieces of some of my favorite recipes to create a new cupcake flavor I have never made before.  My initial inspiration was the new mini Reese's peanut butter cups.  These little gems are so tiny and cute, perfect to incorporate into a cupcake.  I've had a couple unsuccessful attempts at creating peanut butter cup cupcakes before but found them to be too dry.  I knew it was a flavor I would continue to improve on.  Then, while perusing Pinterest, I came across these Truffle Filled Chocolate Cupcakes.  A truffle IN a cupcake.  Now who wouldn't love that.  I knew Erin of A Tale of One Foodie's Culinary Adventures was on to something there.  I myself enjoy a truffle from time to time.  Preferably with wine but that really has nothing to do with these cupcakes.  ANYWAY, I loved the idea of baking a truffle inside of a cupcake and I knew I wanted to attempt a chocolate and peanut butter flavor combination.  I started scanning all my recipes in cookbooks and online to see what sort of tasty sweet concoction I could come up with.  The finished recipe actually incorporated 4 different recipes all joined together in a heavenly peanut butter and chocolate delight.

The first step was to make the truffles.  The peanut butter truffle recipe I used was found here.  I omitted the crushed peanuts for the truffles baked in the center of the cupcakes.  The mixture requires time to chill before rolling into truffles, so make ahead or these can easily be made further ahead and stored so all steps don't have to be done in the same day.  Next I prepared chocolate cupcakes.  The recipe I used was from the book, The Sweet Little Book of Cupcakes.  I received this book last year for my birthday in March.  I'm always using and experimenting with different chocolate cupcake recipes but this is one of my favorites.  You can use whatever is your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe and if you don't have a favorite, email me and I can send you this one.  Fill the cupcake liners just half way full with the batter (you will be making more cupcakes than what the recipe usually makes).  Place a truffle in each of the cups.  I made my truffles quite substantial in size so they stuck out the top of my batter.  Don't fret, they melt while baking and the cupcakes came out with nice even tops. 

While the cupcakes were baking I worked on the rest of the truffles, this time including the crushed nuts, to adorn the top of the cupcakes.  Chill again after handling, set aside or eat a few if you are having a bad day (not that you need my permission, but know that it is o.k.....indulge!).  Once the cupcakes are cooled, it is time for some frosting!  I found a peanut butter frosting recipe here.  It's a very user friendly recipe and quite delicious.  My only complaint with this frosting is that it didn't pipe well using a star tip (my favorite decorating tip) and in the future would pipe it on differently.  Not sure which tip I would use but this frosting didn't keep nice sharp edges with the star tip like many other frostings do.  Each cupcake was then drizzled with a dark chocolate glaze.  Unfortunately I can't remember where I found this glaze recipe but it is really easy and I use it often.  It is made by heating 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, 1/3 cup unsalted butter and 1 1/2 tsp. light corn syrup.  Stir until melted and smooth.  I usually let it cool before using so it doesn't melt my frosting.  The recipe makes a nice size batch and can easily be refrigerated and re-heated to use again and again.  The drizzle adds a nice chocolaty taste to cut the ever so sweet (but I'm not complaining) peanut butter frosting.

The final step is to top each cupcake with one of the finished truffles.  I like the idea of adding an extra truffle on top, not only for decoration but I feel like I'm giving an extra little treat to the person enjoying these cupcakes.  Now this is a cupcake that requires a fork and a tall glass of milk.  And I know what you are thinking, "But Sara, where are those cute little gems you mentioned earlier?  You forgot the peanut butter cups!"  No I didn't my friends, no I didn't.  One of those perfectly tiny peanut putter cups was rolled inside of each of the truffles, just one more surprise for whoever you may be baking these for.  Obviously the truffles inside the cupcake melt and settle some but when you bite into that cupcake, that little goodie is there.

I apologize for not typing out the entire recipe, maybe I'll do that for a future post.  This was a bit of a last minute post as I wanted to make sure I posted today.  Today is a special day, it's my BLOGiversary.  Three months ago today I sat in my friend's kitchen freaking out not knowing if I could do this.  I read, re-read and re-re-read my first post  before finally just doing it.  I appreciate all of the followers and am obsessed with watching the "page views" number go up and up (even though I'm pretty sure most of the views are my Mom and Dad).  I look forward to sharing many more cupcake ideas, recipes and much, much more with all of you.  Now I'm going to sit down with  a tall glass of milk and sample these cupcakes.  Cheers! 

Be sure to check my "linking up" page to see where I may be sharing this post.

New ways to follow Tasty Sweet Cupcakes

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Tasty Sweet is now on facebook!  Along with updating weekly here on the blog, I plan to update tid bits of what I'm baking/creating over on my facebook page.   "Like" Tasty Sweet Cupcakes new page and if you have a page, please let me know so I can "like" in return. 

Cupcakes, Cookies, Cakes & Pies....Oh my!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

I'm am just coming off my sugar high from Valentine's Day, how is everyone else doing?  I'm not usually a Valentine's Day kind of person, I could take it or leave it.  This year I spent the day at work, on my day off and it was the best Valentine's Day ever!  That sounds like a crazy person just typed that I know but let me explain.  My coworker (and friend) Brooke and I like to plan bake-off style events at work and this year we held one on Valentine's Day. 

We included a raffle and flower/balloon sales to make sure everyone was scoring brownie points when going home that night.  All of our coworkers (or their wives in most cases) really brought their A-game baking this year.  We had 5 tables filled with delectable delights for everyone to sample.  Let me tell you a little bit about how our bake-off works.  Rather than doing a bake sale and having everyone purchase baked goods, we let everyone just sample until their hearts content (or belt too tight)!  When done, we ask them to "vote" for their favorite by making a cash donation in the jar next to that baked good.  At the end of the night we gave prizes to the top 3 bakers that brought in the most cash during the day with their sweet treat!  I didn't *gasp* bake cupcakes for this event.  I was intrigued by a red velvet monster cookie recipe over on Something Swanky, so I made those instead.  Ashton had something of a red velvet revolution happening over on her site leading up to Valentine's Day, so many awesome recipes!  I was so busy with the day I forgot to even take a picture of my cookies.  I didn't win any prizes with them but I had a lot of competition.  Did I mention we had 5 tables of sweets. I mean, really! How can I compete with pies already to go in their individual to-go container!  We did balance out everyone's diet with some hot sandwiches, vegetable platter and a big bowl of fruit but the sweet smell of this room could hypnotize anyone on even the strictest of diets!













As I mentioned earlier, the bake-off also included a raffle and flower sales.  Lucky for us we have a friend working with a local flower shop to get us some beautiful flowers.  Just one problem, the flowers needed to be arranged so I tried my hand at flower arranging and I think it was a success.  All the vases were collected from coworkers, my own and my Mom's collections and reused, looking just like new!


Our raffle was also a success with coworkers donating some great items or creating fabulous baskets.  I won a homemade bracelet myself!

The details were fun planning the weeks leading up to the sale.  We made Valentine's themed labels for the jars used to collect donations, signs and baskets for to-go bags and cards, and I never had so much fun wrapping empty boxes to collect all the raffle tickets.  At the end of the day it just meant the world to me knowing we were helping a coworker and friend.  All funds raised that day were given to a coworker who is in the hospital.  Again, I'm not a Valentine's Day person but this year I was.  My heart just swelled each time someone walked through the door.



I ended my night with one last cupcake....wine that is.  Sadly this wine doesn't taste like cupcakes but good all the same.


Last weekend I got to make some mini cupcakes for my aunt and uncle's wedding anniversary.  60 years on Valentine's Day! 60! If that doesn't restore even this darkest of hearts in Valentine's Day, I'm not sure what can!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Just popping in to say hello.  I've had a few busy days of  baking and a few more coming up.  Will post about those as soon as I can.  Chocolate cupcakes with raspberry frosting and lemon cupcakes with raspberry frosting were on the menu this week and will be made again for a party this weekend and Valentine's Day.  I'm in absolute love with the raspberry frosting!

Today is the 1st Birthday a good friend's son, so of course cupcakes were in order.  Here's a sneak peek.

More to come on these fun circus cupcakes. 

I'm also very excited to have found The Tattered Tag.  They have a awesome link party hosting new bloggers.  Can't wait to check out the other new blogs out there.  Thank you The Tattered Tag!

I'm A Winner!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Check out the loot heading my way from author Donna Kauffman!  Over on her blog, she was
giving away copies of Sugar Rush and Sweet Stuff, the first two books in her Cupcake Club romance series.  The grand prize winner (that's me!) also receives this fabulous cupcake apron.  I can't wait to rock that apron and settle in with a new book (yes, I may wear this apron all the time, not just when baking).





**UPDATE** 02/17
Apron and books came in the mail yesterday.  The apron is even more cute in person, I love it (and Izzy does too!).

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcake

Sunday, February 5, 2012


I got to make a batch of Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes the other day. That batch was for a birthday but these pink cuties would be perfect for Valentine's Day also. They are one of my favorites, hope you enjoy them too!





Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
½ cup butter

4 egg whites

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. baking soda

¾ cup buttermilk

1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice*

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. almond extract

½ cup mini chocolate chips

Allow butter and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  Combine buttermilk and cherry juice; set aside.  Preheat oven to 350.  In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed.  Add sugar, vanilla and almond extract; beat until combined.  Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture beating on low after each just until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spoon batter into 24 paper lined muffin cups.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting.

Cherry Frosting

Allow ½ cup butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Beat butter with electric mixer until smooth.  Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well.  Beat in 3 tbs. maraschino cherry juice* and ½ tsp. almond extract.  Gradually beat in 3 cups additional powdered sugar.  Beat in additional cherry juice or milk 1 tsp. at a time to reach piping consistency. 

Pipe frosting onto cupcakes using decorator tip of your choice.   I've used both Wilton 1M and 2D  for mine.  Top cupcakes with extra mini chocolate chips.

*You don’t have to buy a jar of maraschino cherries just to use the juice.  I’ve found maraschino cherry syrup by the ice cream toppings in the grocery store. 
This recipe was adapted from one I found in a special cupcake edition of Better Homes and Gardens.
See? Perfect for Valentine's Day!

I also made some toppers by punching out some fun paper and button stickers.




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