Peanut Butter Chocolate Owl Cupcakes (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Peanut Butter Cupcakes
01 -
170 grams all-purpose flour
02 -
2 grams baking powder
03 -
1 gram salt
04 -
113 grams unsalted butter, softened
05 -
120 grams creamy peanut butter
06 -
220 grams light brown sugar
07 -
2 large eggs
08 -
5 millilitres vanilla extract
09 -
240 millilitres buttermilk
→ Chocolate Frosting
10 -
113 grams unsalted butter, melted
11 -
55 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
12 -
360 grams powdered sugar
13 -
8 millilitres vanilla extract
14 -
80 millilitres whole milk
→ Decorations
15 -
30 mini vanilla wafer biscuits
16 -
30 brown Reese's Pieces candies
17 -
15 orange Reese's Pieces candies
18 -
30 yellow Reese's Pieces candies
19 -
90 honey roasted peanut halves
# Step-by-Step Directions:
01 -
Preheat oven to 175°C. Line a muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
02 -
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 -
In a medium mixing bowl, beat softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly.
04 -
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.
05 -
Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 20–23 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
06 -
Allow cupcakes to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
07 -
Whisk melted butter together with cocoa powder until combined. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, then whisk in milk and vanilla extract until smooth and free of lumps.
08 -
Using a plain round piping tip, swirl chocolate frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
09 -
Place two mini vanilla wafers in the centre of the frosting for owl eyes. Position one orange Reese’s Pieces between wafers as the beak. Use a small dab of frosting to attach a brown Reese’s Pieces to each wafer for pupils. Arrange three peanut halves on each side for wings. Place two yellow Reese’s Pieces at the base for feet.
# Helpful Notes:
01 -
If buttermilk is unavailable, mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or cider vinegar with enough milk to make 240 millilitres, let stand several minutes.
02 -
Decorate immediately after frosting, as the icing forms a crust quickly.
03 -
Creamy peanut butter yields the best texture, but chunky can be used; avoid lowfat varieties for optimal structure.