Fluffernutter Hi Hat Cupcakes

We have a birthday in the house today!  I know, another birthday?  Is that all I do?  Birthdays?  Seems like it sometimes, huh?  But what a fabulous opportunity (read excuse) to make or create a fabulously delicious cake (in some form or another)!  Today is my husband's birthday, and I am happy to say that he is still older than me.  For his special day, I was thinking of trying hi hat cupcakes.  Problem: Birthday boy (man?) "doesn't like chocolate".  Why the quotes?  Because he says he doesn't like it, but then eats it all the time.  So, since I am a nice birthday cake maker, I decided to go with...peanut butter cupcakes and marshmallow frosting a la Fluffernutter!  If you've never had a fluffernutter sandwich, you should.  Marshmallow cream and creamy (yes creamy!) peanut butter on white bread.  


So, for the birthday cupcakes, I did a peanut butter cupcake with a cooked marshmallow frosting (7 minute frosting), and a milk chocolate dip.  Have we not said it before?  Genius.  Be aware:  These cupcakes are super rich.  One definitely goes a long way.  And please note the cupcake papers...black and white!  Totally in love with these.  How do you pick fun cupcake papers for a man? Oh well, hopefully he'll be more interested in what is inside of them.  Happy Birthday, Mark!


Fluffernutter Hi Hat Cupcakes


Peanut Butter Cupcakes:
3/4 cup +2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
1 egg
6 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Frosting:
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Milk Chocolate Dip:
2 cups milk chocolate chips
3 Tablespoons canola oil


Preheat oven the 350F. Line cupcake tins with 9 cupcake papers.


For the cupcakes, in a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, butter, and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and beat for about 1 more minute.  Add the flour mixture and the milk in alternating additions, beginning and ending with the flour.  Beat until just combined, stir in the vanilla. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake cups.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Take the cupcakes out of the pan, and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.


For the frosting, in a stainless steel bowl over a suacepan of simmering water, place the eggwhites, sugar, water, and corn syrup.  With a handheld mixer, beat the mixture for 5 minutes on low speed.  Increase the speed to high and beat for another 5 minutes.  The mixture should be shiny and satiny and form medium stiff peaks.  Remove the bowl from the heat and add the vanilla extract, then continue to beat the frosting for another 2 minutes.  the frosting will be thick.


To assemble, immediately spoon the frosting into a decorating bag fitted with a large round or star tip.  Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes in large swirls, so it looks like a soft-serve ice cream cone.  Place the cupcakes in the refrigerator or freezer until the frosting is firm.  In a microwavable bowl, place the chocolate chips and oil.  Melt in the microwave slowly, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate is smooth.  Pour the dipping chocolate into a tall, wide cup or glass (it needs to be wide enough to accommodate the width of the cupcakes and tall enough to accommodate the frosting).  Dip each cupcake, frosting first, into the cup of chocolate just until the frosting is covered.  Remove the cupcake from the chocolate and let the excess drip off slightly.  Set the cupcakes on a cooling rack and place in the refrigerator until set.  Makes 9 cupcakes.


Enjoy!  -Cardamommy