Peanut Butter Cup-Cakes Revisited

January 21, 2009: a cold winter day 4 short years ago that will live on in our hearts and our minds forever. Wait, you're telling me you don't remember that fateful day? It was a day that changed the course of history! A day school children will be learning about for centuries to come! That was the day I hit "Publish" on my very first blog post--Peanut Butter Cup-Cakes. Okay, okay. So posting my first recipe didn't really rewrite history. It's not exactly life changing or earth shattering. Heck, I have to look it up every year because I can't even remember when my Blogiversary is. But looking back on that first post, we've come a long way in those 4 years.

Back in 2009, I knew nothing about this blogging thing. Honestly, I'm not even sure I really knew what a blog was. But suddenly there I was jumping head first into this world. 4 years later, I still can't tell you much about some parts of blogging like SEO and hosting (which is why at this very moment I'm currently reading Food Blogging For Dummies), but I can't even begin to imagine what I'd be doing if I weren't right here right now, doing this whole deal.

Every now and then when I'm bored I go back and read through some of my old posts. Talk about cringe worthy! Wow. Just wow. Some of those.. *sigh* Not only were the posts a ramblefest but the pictures! Oh the pictures. It's like looking through your middle school yearbook. You just want to forget it ever happened. So, in honor of this little blog's 4th birthday, I thought it would be fun to take a little trip down memory lane and show you the good, the bad, but mostly the ugly of the last few years!

There was an unfortunate slant phase. I don't know why.. but it lasted for well over a year--much like my permed hair phase.

I'm ready for my closeup.

Are we at the pool? Why do I feel like swimming?

What is this? That's it. I'm firing my food stylist.

Well that's appetizing..

Oh. Oh wow.. That's just.. sad.

Talk about a wall of shame. But instead of hanging my head (which I should definitely be doing), I'm taking what I've learned about baking and photography and making over my very first recipe! May I present the all new Peanut Butter Cup-Cakes!

The original recipe was marbled peanut butter and chocolate cake--neither of which had much flavor. The underwhelming cake was topped with an overwhelming peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Blegh. It was definitely time for a flavor upgrade.

Using my tried and true chocolate cake recipe, I topped it with a swirl of peanut butter and chocolate frosting. The peanut butter was a bit softer than the chocolate, so it didn't swirl quite as well as I'd envisioned, but one bite, and you'll forgive all its aesthetic imperfections. No tangy cream cheese flavor here--it's nothing but peanut buttery goodness.

After looking at all the terrible pictures that litter my little slice of internet life, I think I might have to revamp quite a few of my recipes and reclaim a bit of my dignity. And here's to hoping that I don't cringe at these pictures 4 years from now.

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Peanut Butter Cup-cakes
Adapted from Food Network
Makes 12 cupcakes



Cupcakes:
1 cup cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

Frosting:
3 egg whites
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 mini peanut butter cups (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat mayonnaise and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and beat to combine. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Pour batter into prepared tin, filling each cup about 2/3 of the way full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 18 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. While cupcakes are cooling, make frosting: In a medium heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water on the stovetop, whisk together egg whites and sugar until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, but not too hot (about 160F).
6. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip egg white mixture until stiff peaks form and the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch, about 7 to 10 minutes. (Mixture will have the consistency of melted marshmallows.) Reduce speed to low and switch to the paddle attachment. Add butter, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase the speed to medium-high, and continue beating until frosting becomes thick and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. (It will break apart and look curdled at first, but keep beating. It will all come back together. If it still looks a bit soupy after several minutes, place mixture in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill and try again.) Add vanilla and salt and beat until well combined.
7. Divide frosting in half, placing half in a separate bowl; set extra bowl aside. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to the remaining frosting and beat until well combined and fluffy. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
8. Place the plain frosting you set aside back into the clean mixing bowl and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Beat until well combined and fluffy.
9. Place peanut butter frosting in one side of a large piping bag fitted with a round or star tip, and place chocolate on the other side. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Cut mini peanut butter cups in half and place on top.

*Note: Or you could just skip the swirling altogether and make a peanut butter/chocolate frosting from the start, adding both ingredients to the bowl at the end of step 6.