Gluten-Free Chocolaty Nutella Peanut Butter Cupcakes!

       I know…I know I’ve made quite a few peanut butter chocolate cakes in the year since my blog has been up and active.  But people love that combination, because I had customers demanding for me to concoct yet another pb & chocolate creation.  So I took some ideas from my past recipes, and I came up with what could quite possibly be my best peanut butter and chocolate recipe yet!  Enjoy this delicious and delectable dessert...and by the way, the frosting tastes like Nutella.  Be happy.

You'll need:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 3/4 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 cup dark cocoa powder

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 ½  tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup Kerrygold Salted Butter

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup peanut butter chips

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

1 cup of hot water

 

       Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Prepare two Jumbo muffin tins by evenly coating with cooking spray.

       In a medium bowl, combine the sugars, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

        In a separate bowl, whip together the butter, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.

       Then slowly add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir until both mixtures are fully combined.  Next, fold in the peanut butter and chocolate chips.

       Add hot water to the batter and mix well, until the batter is thin.  Pour evenly into the prepared muffin pans and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

       Once the cupcakes have finished baking, allow them to cool completely before coring and filling with peanut butter fudge deliciousness.

Peanut Butter Fudge Filling

1/2  cup creamy peanut butter

1/4  cups palm shortening

1 cups powdered sugar

Whipping cream, as needed

       In a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip the shortening and peanut butter until fluffy.  Whip in one cup of powdered sugar, then add in a splash of whipping cream and the second cup of powdered sugar.  Then add just enough whipping cream to thin the mixture to a butter cream consistency and whip until smooth. 

To assemble cupcakes:

 

       Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, core out the centers using either a coring tool or butter knife.  After you’ve cored out about an inch of cupcake, scoop the prepared filling into a piping bag and squeeze into the centers of each cupcake.

Homemade Nutella Frosting!

3/4 cup Kerrygold salted butter, softened

1/8 cup cocoa

1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp hazelnut extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

       In a bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth.  Add in a cup of powdered sugar and the cocoa, then cream together until the butter is thick and crumbly.

       Add in the extracts and continue mixing until creamy. Add in a splash of heavy cream if needed to thin the frosting out.

       Spread frosting over the chilled cupcakes then serve and enjoy!