What words do you think of when you stare wantonly at these cupcakes?

Lascivious? Devilish? Crazy amazing? Then you are absolutely on the right track my friends. These are ALL THAT and more. I never even pretend to be humble when it comes to my mad baking skills. What could be better to drool over and scarf down than a dark chocolate DIPPED, peanut butter cream cheese frosted, Devil’s food cupcake? Really…nothing. Nothing. At. All.

The cake is rich, chocolatey and completely soft and tender heaven. The frosting’s creamy, sweet and a tad salty and then, as if it is not already the Queen of cupcakes, it gets a nice chocolatey bath. So, here you go, with the recipe, details and anything you would need to recreate these.

And, when you are face first in your third cupcake and you are beginning to shout obscenities at me from where ever you are, I will smile because I am kind of sadistic when it comes to my baked goods. I like to see just a bit of control lost and a little suffering when the said baked good is gone.

Aren’t you glad you don’t live near me?

Because we are all about providing a full service over here at S&C, I am giving you my original recipe for these AND my favorite GF chocolate cupcake recipe. See, I am not all bad.

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Fudge Cupcakes 

Chocolate  Cupcake
AP Flour Version
From My own family recipe for Devil’s Food Cake
Makes about 18 cupcakes.
7 oz (just less than a cup) vegetable oil
1 c. buttermilk
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. granulated sugar
2 c. all purpose flour (AP Flour)
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 T. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c. boiling water

To make the AP Flour cupcakes: Prepare pan by placing cupcake liners in muffin pan.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a  stand mixer or mixing bowl, combine oil, buttermilk, yolks, and vanilla.  Beat 2 minutes with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer at medium speed.  In another bowl, sift together (or use a wire whisk like I do to avoid sifting) sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cake is spongy to the touch.  It should bounce back when touched lightly and look firm.  Cool completely.

Gluten Free Cupcakes
Makes about 18-20 cupcakes
1 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Dagoba and it was perfection)
1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon GF pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups Artisan Gluten-Free Flour Blend2* (go to GF Page found on tab at top)
2 teaspoons xanthan gum (or substitute with 2 1/2 teaspoons Guar gum if you are Xanthan sensitive)
1 1/2 teaspoons GF baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons GF baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

To make the GF Flour Cupcakes: Prepare pan by placing cupcake liners in muffin pan.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a  stand mixer or mixing bowl, combine oil, buttermilk, yolks, and vanilla.  Beat 2 minutes with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer at medium speed.  In another bowl, sift together (or use a wire whisk like I do to avoid sifting) sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  With mixer on LOW speed, add one third of the sifted dry ingredients to oil mixture and beat until blended.  Then add one third of the hot water and slowly combine these (you don’t want the hot water to splatter on you…ouch!).  Continue this process, scraping down the bowl often until all ingredients have been add and mixed.

Pour batter into prepared liners, 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cake is spongy to the touch.  It should bounce back when touched lightly and look firm. Cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)

To make the Frosting:

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Melted Chocolate Coating: 2 cups of Bittersweet chocolate chips

To frost: Fit a pastry bag with a large circle tip with a big opening to pipe the peanut butter frosting in the shape of a chocolate kiss on top of each cupcake. Freeze the frosted cupcakes for an hour. After the hour, take the cupcakes out of the freezer and melt your chocolate.

For the Chocolate Coating: Melt your chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for one minute and then stir.  Then microwave for one minute more. It should be just barely melted and once you stir it up it should be smooth. If it’s not, then heat it up for another 20 seconds or so. You don’t want to melt your chocolate too long because it will end up getting lumpy and seize up. Let cool for five minutes.

Carefully, dip each cupcake upside down into the chocolate, holding onto the wrapper portion.  Twist the cupcake gently in the melted chocolate and stand back up on a plate.  Refrigerate your cupcakes for at least an hour before serving. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator since they are coated in chocolate.