Birthday Cupcakes For The Queen

So as I said in an earlier post, The Queen was visiting this weekend and Thursday just happened to be her birthday. Being that I did just graduate pastry school, I thought it was only right that I make The Queen something celebratory and something involving cake. However, being that I am convinced that my oven is trying to kill the kitties and me by suspiciously and randomly emitting enough carbon monoxide to set off the alarm...?! I thought the safest thing to do was make The Queen some cupcakes.


I love me a good cookbook and no one makes a cookbook quite like The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, but since I didn't bring Ina with me, I resorted to her archives on The Food Network website to find a tasty recipe. The recipe I found for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes was pretty easy, tasty, and used a lot of pantry ingredients. I added a little piece of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup to the cupcake -- adding a little bit of something-something to the top of the cupcake is akin to putting on a little lipstick or a jaunty tie before you go out for the evening, it's like a finishing touch.

INA'S CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES
Minimally Adapted from INA GARTEN
Makes 12-14 Standard Size Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons freshly brewed coffee, cooled
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder, sifted to remove the lumps
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Then, in the bowl of an Kitchen Aid cream the butter and both sugars on high until light and fluffy, being sure to scrap the bowl occasionally. Lower the speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, sour cream, and cooled coffee. In another bowl, whisk the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Then, on low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture a third at a time, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix till blended incorporated, turning the mixer on high for the last 10 to 15 seconds just to beat out any remaining lumps.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans using an ice cream scoop till cups are about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into one of the cupcakes in the middle of the pan comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

INA'S PEANUT BUTTER ICING
Adapted from Ina Garten (see link above)
Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes with a piping bag

For the frosting:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter (don't use natural peanut butter, the oils separate too easily and make for a soup-y looking frosting)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a Kitchen Aid. Mix on medium speed until the mixture looks cohesive, remembering to scrap down the sides regularly. Add the cream and beat on high until the frosting is smooth.

Frost with an offset spatula or piping bag and tip. Garnish with a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup or salted peanuts.