Peanut Butter Pretzel Cupcakes

Gigi Butler from Gigi's Cupcakes stops by Good Day to make a delicious peanut butter pretzel cupcake with chocolate buttercream frosting.


Peanut Butter Pretzel Cupcakes

Chocolate Cake

Melt in microwave and bring to a boil:
2 cups water
8 oz. butter
½ cup shortening

After melted, stir in 1 cup of cocoa.

With a large whisk, mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl:
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups sugar

Add dry ingredients and liquid (step 1) together and whisk well.

In a small bowl, add:
4 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Add to bowl with cake mixture and whisk well.

In a separate bowl, dissolve 2 teaspoons baking soda in 1 cup of buttermilk. Add to bowl with cake mixture and whisk well.

Pour and cup the cakes. Bake at 375 degrees for 22 minutes. Cool.

Peanut Butter Fluff

In a bowl add:
1 cup marshmallow jet fluff
¼ cup of creamy peanut butter 

Mix until completely combined. This will be the filling in the chocolate peanut butter pretzel.  

Gigi's Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups butter, softened (microwave 5 seconds)
6 cups powdered sugar 
½ cup cocoa 
7 tablespoons milk 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (use clear for whiter frosting)

In a large mixer bowl, add softened butter (microwave 5 seconds max). cream butter well. Add powdered sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla extract beat well (with mixer) and beat well until frosting is light and fluffy. 

Gigi's Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups butter, softened (microwave 5 seconds)
7 cups powdered sugar 
½ cup creamy peanut butter 
7 tablespoons milk 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (use clear for whiter frosting)

In a large mixer bowl, add softened butter (microwave 5 seconds max). cream butter well. Add powdered sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla extract beat well (with mixer) and beat well until frosting is light and fluffy. 

About 2 cups (30) salted pretzels -- 1 per cupcake, broken into pieces.

Chocolate Ganache Drizzle

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream

Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot.

When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth.   

Put in a plastic squirt bottle or baggy with the corner trimmed to drizzle over cupcakes.

Peanut Butter Drizzle

1-cup of peanut butter for 30 cupcakes

Place one cup of peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl. DO NOT put in the whole jar of peanut butter. Cook in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir the peanut butter in increments of 30 seconds until it's the desired temperature and consistency. 

Put in a plastic squirt bottle or baggy with the corner trimmed to drizzle over cupcakes.

Assembly

Take the chocolate cake. Poke a hole in the middle of the cupcake. Fill the cupcake with the peanut butter fluff. 

Then in a pastry bag with a star tip fill one side with chocolate butter cream and the other side with peanut butter butter- cream. Then do a small swirl of the frosting.

Sprinkle with crushed pretzels. Drizzle with chocolate and then drizzle with peanut butter. Top with a pretzel that you have dipped half way in chocolate. 

LINK: gigiscupcakesusa.com