These superbowl cupcakes are perfect for game day but also for any celebration! Chocolate cupcakes topped with peanut butter frosting and fun snack food garnishes.
Superbowl Cupcakes

I can count on zero fingers the number of times I’ve watched a superbowl (or any football game for that matter) all the way through.

There was one time in college where I physically sat through the whole thing, but I can’t say I paid attention for even a single minute. There were too many other things to occupy my mind like beer and snacks and gossip and did I mention SNACKS?!?!

Clearly you can see where my head is at.

Superbowl Cupcakes

Even being married to a football fanatic who plays on multiple fantasy football leagues and eats/breaths/sleeps/dreams football for a few months of every year has not piqued my interest at all.

I mean….I think I’m more interested in the snacks, even less interested in the game as time goes on. I didn’t even realize that was possible.

Superbowl Cupcakes

Well, here we are.

Another year, another superbowl. I have no idea who is playing (all I’ve gathered from my random internet musings is NOT the Patriots) but I am fully invested in making our superbowl eating experience as EXTRA as possible.

That means all the snacks, lots of pizza (homemade, obvs) and the trashiest cupcakes imaginable.

Mission: accomplished. At least on the cupcake front.

Superbowl Cupcakes

These are from Joanne Chang’s new cookbook, Pastry Love, and I swear my heart skipped a beat when I saw them.

Chocolate cupcakes + the fluffiest sweet/salty crunchy peanut butter frosting + ALL THE JUNK FOOD TOPPINGS.

Un. Real.

Superbowl Cupcakes

The chocolate cupcakes are rich, moist, and super easy to prepare. The recipe uses a reverse creaming technique where you first mix up the dry ingredients and then bit by bit add in the fat and liquids. This results in a finer crumb and also creates structure so you get a more sturdy cupcake.

The peanut butter frosting is a bit of a cross between traditional American buttercream and Swiss meringue buttercream. That makes it super fluffy, not crazy sweet, and with the smoothest, dreamiest texture.

While this recipe uses chips, pretzels, and milk chocolate shards for its toppers, feel free to use whatever junk food you have on hand! M&Ms and Reese’s would also be pretty fabulous here in my opinion.

Superbowl Cupcakes

Superbowl Cupcakes
 
These superbowl cupcakes are perfect for game day but also for any celebration! Chocolate cupcakes topped with peanut butter frosting and fun snack food garnishes.
Yield: 20 cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
  • ½ cup (60 g) Dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 1.5 oz (40 g) semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup (240 g) boiling water
  • 2 cups (240 g) cake flour
  • 1⅓ cups (265 g) sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (60 g) creme fraiche
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 cup (50 g) pretzel twists
  • 2 cups (45 g) Ruffles-style potato chips
  • 2 oz (60 g) milk chocolate, roughly chopped
For the peanut butter frosting
  • ⅔ cup (135 g) sugar
  • 2 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup (260 g) crunchy peanut butter
Instructions
For the cupcakes
  1. Combine the chocolate, cocoa powder, and boiling water in a small heat-safe bowl. Whisk together until completely smooth. Set aside to cool completely. To speed this up you can pop it in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the cupcake batter, just remember to stir it every 10 minutes.
  2. Heat oven to 350F (180C). LIne two 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
  3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 10 seconds. With the mixer running on low, add in the butter in small pieces and until it is completely incorporated, about 30-40 seconds. The mixture should be quite dough-like at this point.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the creme fraiche, whole eggs, and egg yolks. With the mixer running on low, pour in the creme fraiche mixture. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute, or until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer bowl and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn down the mixer speed to low and slowly pour in the chocolate mixture. Mix for 10 seconds to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then mix on medium speed for another 30 seconds.
  5. Fill the prepared muffin cups three quarters full with the batter. Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Bake until the centers spring back and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
For the frosting
  1. In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg whites. Place over a pot of simmering water to form a double boiler. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is hot to the touch and all of the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Pour the sugar-egg white mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed for 4-6 minutes, or until cool. Add in the butter a few tbsp at a time and whip on medium speed until completely incorporated. Add in the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Whip on medium until smooth. Add in the peanut butter and whip until fluffy.
To assemble
  1. Once the cupcakes are cool, top with large scoops of the frosting. Garnish with the pretzels, potato chips, and milk chocolate pieces. Serve immediately. If making these ahead of time, wait to top with the pretzels and potato chips because they will get soggy as they sit.
Notes
Recipe from Pastry Love

 

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2 Responses to Superbowl Cupcakes

  1. Kate says:

    I’m pretty sure the snacks are what most people look forward to for the super bowl!

  2. I’m in love with the intricate spiral detail of the chocolate curls in your pictures! These look absolutely amazing, Joanne and you’re selling me Chang’s cookbook, hands down! The reverse creaming process sounds like a must try.

    I’m with you, enough with the football…give me the snacks and every one in awhile I’ll watch a halftime show!

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