These hi-hat peanut butter cupcakes will truly satisfy all your peanut butter & chocolate dreams. They are chocolate cupcakes, topped with a silky, smooth & luscious peanut butter frosting, which is dunked into a chocolate ganache glaze and topped with some more crushed peanuts. One bite through the hard chocolate shell into the soft peanut butter frosting, will leave you in awe of these delicious cupcakes which are bursting will so much flavor. You can also customise them according to your choice. Instead of a peanut butter frosting, you can top them with a strawberry buttercream or a caramel frosting. They truly make the perfect treat for any occasion!
Ingredients you’ll need to make these cupcakes:
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds more softness and moisture to your cupcakes along with also helping the cupcakes to hold their shape and structure.
- Eggs: Use large eggs and bring them to room temperature before mixing in. Eggs strengthen the binding of cupcakes and also add moisture. Having your eggs at room temperature makes it easier to incorporate them and allow them to mix thoroughly in your cupcake batter. A good way of doing this is by letting them sit in a bowl filled with room temperature water for around 10 minutes or until they come down to room temperature.
- Oil: You can use either vegetable oil or canola oil. This is one of the secrets resulting in these cupcakes being ultra soft and moist. Oil reduces the gluten formation in your batter, which makes them more moist as compared to using butter as a fat. Do not use olive oil, as it adds a strong flavor of it’s own and changes the taste.
- All-purpose flour: I highly recommend weighing all your ingredients using a kitchen scale for accurate recipe results. If you’re using cups, don’t scoop your cup into the flour. Spoon the flour into your cup and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Cocoa powder: A good quality natural and unsweetened cocoa powder is the best (I use Hersheys and I love it). This can make a huge difference in the taste of chocolate in your baked goods. I highly recommend you use a cocoa powder which is natural and unsweetened.
- Vanilla: You must use a high quality pure vanilla extract in your recipes. This helps to add a rich flavor to your baked goods. Pure vanilla extracts are typically dark brown in color. This enhances the flavor of all ingredients and you should never leave this out.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is more acidic and has a higher fat content than whole milk too. Both of these things help it cut through the sweetness of the cupcakes, giving them a better flavor overall. It also helps to add moisture to your bakes.
- Unsalted Butter: It is very important to have your butter at room temperature. You can ensure this by lightly pressing your finger on the block of butter. It should slightly leave an imprint. I also prefer to use unsalted butter because salted butters have varying amounts of salt content in them and it is always a good idea to add it on your own and avoid your bakes from being too salty.
- Peanut Butter: You will need creamy peanut butter to make a silky and luscious peanut butter frosting. Avoid using natural style peanut butter as it will have some peanuts making it difficult for you to frost the cupcakes and also not giving a silky, smooth frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: This will help add sweetness and stability to your frosting. Add only a few spoons at a time and beat until completely incorporated. Don’t use granulated sugar as it will not dissolve in your frosting as powdered or confectioners’ sugar will.
- Chocolate: I highly recommend using good quality baking chocolate chips or chocolate bars (I use callebaut) to ensure the best flavor. This will also help you get a very silky and shiny chocolate ganache glaze.
Some Notes:
This step might sound intimidating but I have the perfect tip to avoid your frosting from falling off when you dunk the cupcakes to get that shiny chocolate ganache shell. Once you frost your cupcakes, you must freeze them or let them chill in the refrigerator until the frosting is completely firm. You can touch the frosting with your finger and check if it is firm. It should not form an impression when touched. I prefer freezing my cupcakes for 20-25 minutes until firm as it is faster.
These cupcakes are more moist than normal cupcakes. The reason for that is that these cupcakes use vegetable or canola oil instead of butter as a fat content. Oil reduces the gluten formation in the cupcakes which results in these ultra moist and soft cupcakes. You must store these cupcakes in an airtight container to avoid them from drying out.
You must store all cupcakes in an airtight container so that they don’t dry out and are able to retain their moisture. This is true for hi-hat cupcakes as well. These cupcakes should also be chilled in the refrigerator to avoid the chocolate shell as well as the peanut butter frosting from melting. If these layers melt, they will mix together and you won’t get very accurate results. This is why I don’t recommend leaving them out for very long at room temperatures. Hi-hat cupcakes do not freeze well for longer durations.
Other Chocolate recipes you’ll love:
- Single Layer Chocolate Ganache Buttermilk Cake
- Ultra Moist S’mores Buttermilk Cupcakes
- Chocolate Espresso Cream Puffs
Some notes to make this recipe:
- It is very important to refrigerate these cupcakes with the peanut butter frosting to avoid the frosting from falling off while dunking. This step should not be skipped.
- Make sure you are only using vegetable or canola oil. Do not use olive oil as it adds a strong flavor of it’s own which does not go very well with these chocolate cupcakes.
- If you’re in a pinch and don’t have buttermilk in hand, I have a DIY substitute for you. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in half cup. You can double or half this as required. Fill that cup with whole milk to the top. Mix and let it sit for 5 minutes. That’s it, your buttermilk is ready. Your muffins may not turn out marvellous, but they will still be delicious!
- I highly recommend investing in an oven thermometer and a kitchen scale. Baking at accurate temperatures and weighing your ingredients correctly ensure that you can replicate the recipes perfectly and enjoy the best flavors.
Happy Baking!
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Hi-Hat Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Description
These hi-hat peanut butter cupcakes will truly satisfy all your peanut butter & chocolate dreams. They are chocolate cupcakes, topped with a silky, smooth & luscious peanut butter frosting, which is dunked into a chocolate ganache glaze and topped with some more crushed peanuts. One bite through the hard chocolate shell into the soft peanut butter frosting, will leave you in awe of these delicious cupcakes which are bursting will so much flavor. They truly make the perfect treat for any occasion!
Ingredients
Chocolate cupcakes
- ½ cup (113g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup (84ml) vegetable or canola oil
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (45g) natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
Peanut Butter Frosting
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (120g) creamy peanut butter
- 1½ cups (188g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
Chocolate Shell
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- crushed peanuts for topping, optional
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Meanwhile, grease and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat on medium speed, about 2 minutes. Add in the egg, one at a time and beat until fully incorporated. Lastly, add in the vanilla extract. Beat again until combined. The mixture will now be light and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt until thoroughly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients about 4-5 tablespoons at a time and beat on low speed until combined. Repeat until all dry ingredients are added. The batter will be slightly thick. Now, add the buttermilk into the batter. Beat on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Pour or spoon the batter into the liners. Fill each liner upto ⅔ full to avoid it from spilling over the sides or sinking. Bake cupcakes for 19-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t over-bake, which will dry out the cupcakes. Begin checking for doneness at 19 minutes. For around 36 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11-13 minutes at the same oven temperature.
- Transfer the muffin pan to a wire rack immediately when done. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- While the cupcakes are baking, in a large bowl add the unsalted butter and peanut butter. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat both the butters on medium speed until no lumps remain.
- Add in the powdered sugar, one-third at a time and beat on low speed until thoroughly mixed. Repeat until all the sugar is over. The frosting will be light and fluffy at this point.
- Add in salt, vanilla and milk. Beat on medium speed to combine them into the frosting.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I use a Wilton 1M). Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Chill cupcakes in the refrigerator or freezer until the frosting is firm. I usually freeze mine for 20 mins.
Chocolate Shell
- Melt the chopped chocolate and butter together in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after each until both are completely melted. You can also melt in a double boiler if you have one. Let the chocolate cool down for 5 minutes before dipping.
Assemble
- Take one cupcake at a time by its bottom. Carefully and quickly dip it into the chcolate to coat the frosting. Place them on top of a wire rack with a baking sheet below incase any chocolate drips down.
- Top the frosted cupcakes with some crushed peanuts.
- Chill the coated cupcakes in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set the chocolate. Enjoy!
- Cover and store cupcakes at room temperature for 1 day or chill in the refrigerator in an airtight container for upto a week. These cupcakes do not freeze well.
Notes
- It is very important to refrigerate these cupcakes with the peanut butter frosting to avoid the frosting from falling off while dunking. This step should not be skipped.
- Make sure you are only using vegetable or canola oil. Do not use olive oil as it adds a strong flavor of it’s own which does not go very well with these chocolate cupcakes.
- If you’re in a pinch and don’t have buttermilk in hand, I have a DIY substitute for you. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in ½ cup. You can double or half this as required. Fill that cup with whole milk to the top. Mix and let it sit for 5 minutes. That’s it, your buttermilk is ready. Your cupcakes may not turn out marvellous, but they will still be delicious!
- I highly recommend investing in an oven thermometer and a kitchen scale. Baking at accurate temperatures and weighing your ingredients correctly ensure that you can replicate the recipes perfectly and enjoy the best flavors.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chocolate cupcakes, hi-hat cupcakes, peanut butter frosting, chocolate ganache, chocolate glaze
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