fudge filled cupcakes with peanut butter frosting

I love cake. And cupcakes. And really, anything involving the word, cake.

This weekend after we ran I thought we had earned ourselves some kind of cake. 

And chocolate, filled with chocolate, topped with peanut butter was exactly what we needed.

Chocolate Cupcakes

makes 24 cupcakes

2 ounces semisweet chocolate

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup boiling water

6 TBS butter, melted

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup evaporated milk

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line cupcake pans with liners.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot water and cocoa powder. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

In a bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until combined. Add eggs (adding one at a time) until thickened slightly and light colored (about 3 minutes). Slowly add evaporated milk, and melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined well. Add flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.

Pour batter into cupcake liners, and bake in middle of oven until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-22 minutes.

Cool completely.

Fudge Filling

4TBS butter

2 oz finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, melted

1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup powdered sugar

few TBS milk

Cream together butter and melted chocolate. Add cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Add milk one TBS at a time until you reach a good consistency. 

Fill a pastry bag with filling. 

I used a giant round tip, and after the cupcakes were cool just stuck the bag in to the top of the cupcake and gave it a little squeeze.

Peanut Butter Frosting

recipe from Ashley's blog that I used for these brownies

6 Tablespoons softened butter

¾ cup peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Cream the butter and the peanut butter until combined. 

Slowly stir in the powdered sugar until completely incorporated. 

enjoy!