Bake-N-Blog

So, a group of friends and I decided to carry out an idea that Jesstagirl and Her Officer came up with: "Bake-N-Blog"! All of us picked a cupcake recipe from Ming Makes Cupcakes and baked them, taking pictures of the process. I chose the "Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate Ganache" because I knew my peanut butter-adoring husband would definitely help me eat them. =)

Anyway, with that introduction, let's get started!

Here's all the ingredients:

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The dry ingredients mixed up, and my cup of peanut butter (I absolutely love this measuring cup from Pampered Chef for messy solids like peanut butter!):

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Mixing up the peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla:

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Then I added part of the milk:

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And part of the dry mixture:

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And repeated that until the wet and dry mixtures were all mixed in and the batter looked deliciously silky and luscious like this:

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Of course I followed it up by licking the beater...who wouldn't??

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I lined the cupcake pan and filled each one:

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Then they went into the preheated 350-degree oven to bake up into yumminess.

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After 20 minutes, I wanted one RIGHT THEN.

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But first they needed icing, so I mixed up more peanut butter and vanilla:

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Then I added some milk:

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And powdered sugar.

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Then I started the ganache, which is just cream and chocolate chips. I did not own a traditional double boiler, and they were much too expensive to buy, so I put a metal bowl into a pan full of water and it worked perfectly!

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The finished icing looks amazing.

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The chocolate is melting:

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It's all melted after a very short time, so I took it out of the simmering water.

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Then I iced the cupcakes!

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And drizzled on the ganache:

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Ahhhh there is NO way these can NOT be amazing.

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I prepare to dig in!

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So, my official review: I give these cupcakes 5 stars. The cake is soft, rich, and peanut-buttery, and together with the icing, it melts in your mouth. The ganache was super easy and the perfect finishing touch. I will definitely make these again!

Here's the actual recipe:


P.S. Taking pictures while baking/cooking is an interesting process--I felt rather stressed about it. How does the Pioneer Woman do it almost every day??