Chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter buttercream

 From Serious Eats

We've made these several times and this time, I decided to make all the adjustments for our altitude.  The cake portion was much better, soft and tender.  If you aren't at my altitude, please refer to the original instructions.

3/4 cup plus 2 tbs flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

scant 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tbs sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 1/2 tbs buttermilk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

2 egg whites

12 tbs butter, softened, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup peanut butter

8 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 tbs vegetable oil

Heat your oven to 335

Mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl

In a large bowl, combine sugar, buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl

Add the dry ingredients to the large bowl and mix to combine until it's smooth

Add to cupcake tin and bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick to the center of the cupcake comes out clean (I've made 10 or sometimes 11 cupcakes from this recipe)

Remove from the oven, let sit 10 minutes and the remove to a wire rack to cool completely

To make the buttercream, combine the egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl

Put the bowl over simmering heat and whisking almost constantly, heat until the mixture reaches 160 degrees

Transfer to a stand mixer and with the whisk attachment, beating on medium high until it resembles shaving cream 

Add the butter in one piece at a time, mixing until each piece is combined and the mixture is smooth

Add in the peanut butter and vanilla and mix again until smooth

Add to a piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner cut off

Only do this part if the cupcakes are totally and 100% cooled

Pipe about 1/3 cup of the butter cream onto the cupcake, it's gonna look like a lot, a large softserve cone amount

Let sit in the fridge for at least and hour to let the buttercream firm up

Lastly, melt the chocolate and vegetable oil (we do this in the microwave for one minute, then stir, and then another 30 seconds at a time until everything is melted)

Transfer to a large mug and carefully dip the cupcake into the chocolate until it covers all the buttercream 

Carefully let the excess drip off and then let dry at least 10 minutes to let the chocolate harden

Eat the PB and chocolate goodness