Peanut Butter High Hat Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes this weekend for a small surprise graduation party we were hosting at our place. The graduate didn't want a party but her mother and I threw her a small get-together anyway to celebrate her Master's Degree!!

A little bit about the graduate. She is one of my best friends and is the kindest, most self-less person I have ever met. We met four years ago at graduate school orientation when she was drawn to my yellow dress and I to her infectious smile!  These days, we are together almost every day on a coffee or bubble tea date.  As her graduation neared, I worried about how empty my afternoons would feel without her around at school.  I was so relieved and happy when she landed a job in a lab right down the road! I'm beyond proud of her and know that she will be very successful in all her future endeavors.

The cupcakes are a fluffy vanilla yellow cupcake topped with a creamy peanut butter marshmallow frosting and coated with dark chocolate. Yummmmmyyyy!!!

Actually, they were her idea like six months ago. She bookmarked all the cupcakes she would like me to make in this cookbook (Betty Crocker The Big Book of Cupcakes) and these were at the top of her list. Since it was her day, she got them!!

And I think she loved them. Hats off Lovey!!

Congratulations to Chrissa, Laura and Nicole as well!! PhD recipients as of yesterday. So proud of all you :) And I promise you will all get your treats at your defense parties!

Now for the recipe:

Peanut Butter High Hats

From Betty Crocker The Big Book of Cupcakes (Pg 268)

Yield: ~ 28 cupcakes

Cupcakes

3 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup( 2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup milk

Frosting

1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter, softened

1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter

1 jar (7oz) marshmallow crème (or fluff)

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Coating

3 cups dark chocolate chips (18 ounces)

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. 

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. 

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well to combine and scraping down the bowl as needed. Add in vanilla extract.

Reduce speed to low, add a third of the dry ingredients and half of the milk and beat until just combined. Add another third of flour mixture and the rest of the buttermilk and beat again until combined. Add the rest of the flour mixture and beat until combined.

Divide batter into cupcake liners and bake until golden brown or when a tester comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool on cooling racks.

For Frosting:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and peanut butter on medium speed until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Beat in marshmallow crème. On low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time until blended. Then add vanilla extract and beat on medium speed for additional 3 minutes.

Using a large round tip fitted to a decorating bag, frost cupcakes. Pipe frosting in circles making cones shape with peak in center. Refrigerate cupcakes at least 45 minutes to harden frosting before dipping in chocolate coating.

For Coating

In a medium saucepan, heat chocolate chips and oil over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth.

Dip frosting on each cupcake into chocolate to coat completely. Allow excess to drip off. Refrigerate to set coating immediately.