Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

12 mini cupcakes or 6 LARGE cupcakes.  Obviously go big or ... go home!  This is a sweet sinful cupcake that you will NOT be able to put down!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, break up into pieces

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1.  Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pan with appropriate size baking cup liners.

2.  Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium bowl.  Set over saucepan with simmering water to melt and combine or microwave mixture until all three ingredients until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

3.  Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

4.  Whisk eggs in bowl to combine.  In mixer add eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt until fully incorporated.  Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.  Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is combined and thick.

5.  Divide the batter evenly among the pan cups.  Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean.  18-20 minutes for small cups.  22-25 minutes for large cups

6.  Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature  before icing, about 1/2 hour.

Peanut Butter Frosting.  YUM!

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup heavy cream

In a mixer combine sugar, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla.  Mix on medium-low speed until creamy.  Add the cream and beat o n high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Spread frosting over cupcakes and enjoy :)

Dark Chocolate/Peanut Butter Frosting on top and bottom and
Root Beer Float Cupcakes in the middle! YUM!