Dark Chocolate Cream Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Frosting

When I first saw the most adorable chocolate and peanut butter cookie cupcake on Annie's Eats blog, I immediately wanted to make them. Annie created a chocolate cupcake and topped it with a chocolate ganache and peanut butter frosting in the shape of a peanut butter cookie. How cute is that!

It took a while to find the time, but a Dark Chocolate Cream Cupcake with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Peanut Butter Cookie Frosting, resulted. What didn't happen, however, was the frosting in the shape of a peanut butter cookie! I tried and tried, but the frosting wouldn't shape into a circle, had bubbles that didn't allow a smooth looking cookie and continually stuck to my hands/wax paper. 


Perhaps the dough wasn't chilled enough, perhaps I needed to add more powdered sugar, or perhaps it was too warm in the kitchen. Whatever the reason, I wasn't going to just plop a blob of frosting on top. Instead, I changed up the frosting a bit from where it started and piped it on top of the ganache with mini chocolate chips.

Even though the frosting didn't look like a cookie, it came out looking like peanut butter cookie dough. I'm pleased with the result, but will try again next time.

Instead of making the chocolate cake from scratch, I decided to doctor up a box of Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix by adding sour cream to give it a moister, denser texture. And of course, I added flour to the mix to weather the high altitude.

Dark Chocolate Cream Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1 box Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
1/4 cup of flour
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups of water
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream

1. Add mix and flour to mixing bowl. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds.
3. Increase to medium speed for 1-2 minutes.

Fill liners about half full. These suckers rise! Bake for about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Dark Chocolate Ganache

from Fauxstess Cupcakes

8 oz. dark chocolate chips
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp caster sugar

1. Over medium high heat, place cream on stovetop and heat until just boiling.
2. Immediately pour over chocolate chips
3. Let set for 4-5 minutes.
4. Stir until creamy. Add butter and sugar. Ganache should be shiny and pourable. (if there are chunks, place in microwave for 10 second bursts until it can be stirred smooth)

Using a spoon, spread ganache over filled cupcakes. Set aside to harden. 

Peanut Butter Cookie Frosting
adapted from Annie's Eats


9 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups natural creamy peanut butter
3 cup powdered sugar
6 tbsp whipping cream
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
mini chocolate chips

1. Combine the peanut butter, salt, vanilla, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high for 1 minute. 
2. Add in sugar and mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
3. Increase the speed to medium and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. 
4. Add whipping cream 1 tbsp at a time to achieve desired consistency. 

Pipe onto cupcakes. Top with mini chocolate chips if desired.


Dark Chocolate Cream Cupcake with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Peanut Butter Cookie Frosting are a nice combination of chocolate and peanut butter. The sour cream added to the mix help keep it moist and fluffy. The only complaint by some is that although the box mix produces a light and airy cupcake, it is harder to eat as it tends to fall apart. A denser cupcake is preferred. So that is a challenge that I will take on, a denser chocolate cupcake that is not a brownie.