Chubby Hubby Cupcakes

I come from a family where we had ice cream every single Sunday night.   And when I say every, I mean EVERY!  I honestly don't remember a Sunday growing up where we did not have ice cream.  We would make special trips to the grocery store on Saturday night if we didn't have any in the freezer.  I remember loving it when my Dad would let one of my brothers dish it up...they always gave us big helpings!

As an adult I've noticed that my ice cream taste buds have matured.:)  I now crave the good stuff!  I'm in love with anything Ben & Jerry's and I love Tillamook ice cream as well.  (but just so you know...I don't turn down any ice cream!)  One of my favorite Ben & Jerry's flavors is Chubby Hubby.  If you haven't had the pleasure of eating an entire carton...it's vanilla ice cream swirled with fudge with peanut butter filled pretzels.  Oh. My. It's good!!

So to keep this cupcake in harmony with the ice cream we just had to fill it with delicious chocolate ganache & broken pretzel pieces.  And then we had to top it with the MOST RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING peanut butter frosting.  And to top it off...a chocolate drizzled pretzel!

Chubby Hubby Cupcakes

PRINT RECIPE

For the Cupcake:
3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoons baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup malted milk powder
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

For the filling:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups chopped pretzels

Peanut Butter frosting:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Pretzels drizzled with chocolate, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

Beat butter in an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the sugar a little at a time beating well in between additions.  Mix in the malted milk powder.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add vanilla.  Alternate adding in the flour and the buttermilk and beat after each addition just until incorporated.

Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.  A large cookie scoop works wonders here!  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted come out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the ganache by placing the chocolate chips in a glass bowl.  Heat the whipping cream in a microwave safe bowl until simmering.  This takes about 2 1/2 minutes in my microwave, but it will vary with each microwave so just watch it.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for a couple of minutes.  Whisk until combined.  Add the butter and stir until butter is melted and incorporated.  Place in the fridge for about 30-45 minutes or until it starts thickening, about the consistency of pudding.  Whisk occasionally throughout the waiting period.

Take a serrated knife and hollow out the middle of the cupcakes.  Add the filling to the middle of the cupcakes about 3/4 the way full.

Place chopped pretzels on top of the ganache.

To make the frosting, combine butter and peanut butter and beat until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat until incorporated.  Add in the vanilla and cream and beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy...about 3 minutes.

Place frosting in a pastry bag and pipe onto the top of the cupcakes.  I used a large round tip, Wilton 2A.  Garnish with drizzled pretzel.