Chocolate Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Who doesn’t love a cupcake? Here’s how to make perfect cupcakes for your family and friends.

Choose a cupcake pan that’s shiny and heavy weight. Since most cupcake recipes make 2 dozen, it’s helpful to have two 12-well pans.  Line each well with paper or foil wrappers or spray them with no-stick spray.

As with most baking projects, bring all ingredients to room temperature first.  Your batter will mix more evenly and you’ll avoid over mixing. Over mixing makes cupcakes chewy rather than tender.

Proper measuring is  key to baking cupcakes perfectly—especially if you’re making them from scratch.  So is a properly heated oven. Preheat your oven before mixing, too.

If you have a favorite recipe for an 8-inch layer cake, that will generally make 20 to 24 cupcakes.

Fill each cup 1/2 to 2/3 full.  Too little batter makes a tiny little cupcake. Too much batter and the cups will overflow.  A great way  to add the batter is to squeeze it into the cups using a pastry bag, or use an ice cream scoop or measuring cup.

Don’t crowd the oven. If you’re baking two pans at once, rotate the pans halfway through the baking time. Test for doneness after the minimum baking time by inserting  a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the cupcakes. Make sure to cool them completely before frosting and decorating.

Cupcakes are best eaten the same day they’re made but you can freeze undecorated cupcakes for up to 3 months.

For really pretty cupcakes, let them cool completely before icing and decorating and brush off any loose crumbs. You can easily ice them by placing a dollop of icing in the center.  Use a small offset spatula or  flexible spreader to make short strokes, spreading the icing from the top. If your icing is thick and difficult to spread, dip the spreader in hot water.

You can also pipe on the icing using a pasty bag and tip. For a pretty swirly finish, hold the  tip at a 90° angle to the cupcake’s top, about ¼-inch above it. Begin piping at the outer edge of the cupcake and work toward the center. Once your spiral is complete, use a quick flick of your wrist to pull the pastry tip away. Repeat with a second, smaller  spiral on top.

From there you can get creative with embellishments. Top your cupcake with:

• Chocolate kisses
• Chopped peanut butter cups
• Mini chocolate chips
• Mini marshmallows
• Chopped peanuts
• Toasted coconut
• Colored sprinkles

If there’s a birthday involved, create an edible candle holder with lifesaver or gummy ring.

For a flavor match made in heaven, try  this Chocolate and Peanut Butter cupcake from Jif.