Chocolate Cupcakes Frostings and icings by Flours and Frostings

Snickers cupcakes

“Be yourself. No one can say you are doing it wrong “- the Peanuts .

I love candy inspired treats and when someone asked me to come up with Snickers cupcakes , I literally jumped in excitement. Chocolate and caramel and peanuts ? Perfect elements in a cupcake! Or in anything really!

There are umpteen recipes for Snickers cupcakes and almost all have a chocolate cupcake with a peanut butter frosting and caramel sauce on top. I tried it that way, but I found the taste of peanut butter quite different from that of actual peanuts in a Snickers bar. That might be because the taste of peanut butter is new to me . No offence to anyone !

Also , the practical difficulty of drizzling a caramel sauce over frosting. I mean , it looks lovely of course. But the taste of caramel in each bite wasn’t really “there” . And packing , transporting , eating these cupcakes turned out to be a tad messy. Again, personal peeve. Might work for others.

So I thought of making a quick and easy peanut praline and swirling it into the frosting .The peanut praline is not unlike the Indian groundnut chikki, so you could just crush some of those instead! I tried a caramel buttercream and a caramel ganache . The caramel ganache won the contest hands down !

So here it is …my version of a Snickers cupcake . My one bowl moist chocolate cupcakes , with a chunk of Snickers hidden inside , topped with a peanut praline caramel ganache . Each bit loaded with chocolate , caramel and peanuts! Oh and its a long post, but this is an easy one . You don’t need to take out your mixer, and each element takes one bowl and less then 15 minutes to put together !

For the cupcakes:

Ingredients

125 grams or 1 cups all purpose flour
150 grams or 3/4 cups granulated sugar
40 grams or 1/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg , at room temperature
120 ml or 1/2 cups curd or yoghurt , at room temperature
80 ml or 1/3 cups water or coffee
60 ml or 1/4 cups oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 snickers bar (optional)

Steps

  1. Preheat your oven to 160 c/ 325 F. Line your muffin pan with cupcake liners or grease and dust with flour.
  2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa , sugar , baking soda, baking powder , salt in a large bowl.
  3. Add the oil, curd, vanilla , egg and water/coffee. Whisk until smooth.
  4. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3rd full and press a small piece of Snickers into each.
  5. Bake at 160 C/ 325 F for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre , comes out clean.
  6. Cool completely before frosting

Step by step Tutorial :

Also :

  • These can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
  • Do not overfill the pan cavities/ liner as the batter will rise when you add in the snickers.
  • I used one 50 gram Snickers bar, cut into 12 chunks.
  • If you’d rather not bake with eggs, check out my egg free chocolate cupcakes here.

For the frosting :

Ingredients

250 grams dark or milk chocolate
100 grams or 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
240 ml or 1 cups cream (i used Amul fresh cream)
28 grams or 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Steps

  1. Chop the chocolate and keep aside. Keep the cream and butter ready.
  2. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the sugar and water while stirring until all the sugar has melted.
  3. Let it boil (without stirring) until it is a deep amber colour. Don’t let it get too dark!
  4. Take off heat immediately and stir in half the cream . It will bubble up .
  5. Once the bubbling subsides , add the rest of the cream , and then the butter.
  6. Heat it again until its all smooth .
  7. Pour the caramel over your chopped chocolate . Let it rest for couple of minutes.
  8. Then using a whisk or spatula, mix it vigorously until all the chocolate melts and the ganache is smooth.
  9. Let rest covered in room temperature until it thickens , atleast 4 hours.

Step by step Tutorial :

Also :

  • This can be stored at room temperature for upto 3 days and refrigerated for longer than a week.
  • If using as a glaze, you can use it immediately. Rest or refrigerate until set to a consistency of your liking.
  • If sugar hardens on the sides of the pan while making the caramel , brush with a wet pastry brush if you wish.
  • While making caramel , you need to move fast. So keep all ingredients measured out and ready, and watch the caramel like a hawk!

For the praline:

Ingredients

100 grams peanuts (without skin)
100 grams or 1/2 cups sugar

Steps

  1. Line a sheet or plate with foil / parchment paper.
  2. In a skillet or saucepan , place the sugar and heat without stirring until it starts turning golden . Swirl for even colour.
  3. Once all the sugar has melted and it is a caramel colour , mix in the peanuts
  4. Immediately , spread the mixture on the lined plate.
  5. Let cool and then crush into coarse bits using a blender, food processor or a rolling pin.
  6. Mix the powdered praline into your ganache ! You can reserve some to sprinkle on top.

Step by step Tutorial:

 

Also:

  • Store in an airtight container or the praline will go soft and sticky.
  • To peel the peanuts , just dry roast them in a pan for few minutes and rub the loosened skin.
  • Praline can be made and stored a week ahead.

 

 

You don’t eat these cupcakes..you “indulge ” in them. The cupcakes are so moist and richly chocolate , the caramel ganache is irresistibly decadent and the bits of the peanut praline are crunchily delightful. And the little surprise of candy deep in the cupcake!

Mr Snickers, I think I have done you justice !

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