You know what makes me happy? Knowing many of you are enjoying my new cookbook! Several times a week I get an email from someone telling me how much they enjoy cooking from it and this warms my heart. Really. The emails I love the most are from people who tell me they aren’t a good home cook and that cooking from the cookbook has given them a new found confidence because their families love the dishes being prepared from it.
Last week on the Savory Sweet Life Facebook page I asked if anyone was interested in having an online cookbook club discussion. There was enough interest that we are indeed starting one. Starting today we will be discussing a recipe each week for six weeks. I’m encouraging people to take photos of their finished dishes and posting them to this Pinterest Savory Sweet Life cookbook board.
Each week I’ll be giving away a $15 e-gift card to Starbucks or Amazon.com as we discuss the featured recipe of the week. Prizes will be awarded to one random cookbook club participant. Participants will need to have prepared the featured recipe in order to qualify for the drawing. The cookbook can be purchased online or your nearest book store.
The first recipe we will be discussing is the Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting on page 169. And next Sunday the featured recipe with be the Peach Croissant on page 18. The third week we will discuss the Thai Marinated Grill Chicken Skewers and Peanut Coconut Sauce on page 86. I will announce the last three recipes in a later post.
Let’s get started!
Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
I love the deep chocolate flavor in these cupcakes. They aren’t your typical devil’s food cake or boxed cake mix texture. Instead, they are a little more dense, moist, and decadent. What I love about these cupcakes is the rich chocolate ganache and the peanut butter frosting shaped like a cookie and how these gourmet cupcakes taste like an elevated peanut butter cup dessert!
Discussion questions: What do you like the most about these cupcakes? Did you make them for any special occasion?
Feel free to discuss in the comment section below.
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{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
I have not make the cup cakes yet! But I have made several other recipes, so I can’t wait till you discuss those ; )
Your cookbook is going to included in one of the prize baskets for
our end of summer reading party here at the library where I work.
It is part of the “Sweet Dreams” basket.
OMG! I didn’t even realize that the top was frosting and not a cookie!!! I took a quick glance and thought to myself, “way too much work making cookies & cupcakes”. That’s what I get for just glancing… I LOVE this idea and can’t wait to make them!
These look fabulous! I love how the peanut butter icing looks just like the cookie. This is the first thing I’m going to make from your cookbook. Cannot wait to taste them!
Bought the ingredients today…making them tomorrow! Yum!!
Oh dear, these cupcakes were so delicious! I love how the coffee brought out the richness in the chocolate. I used a dark chicory coffee (and drank the rest of the coffee while I was making the batter- not smart at 6pm) and I think using that type of coffee was a smart move.
My ganache wasn’t very shiny the next day. I suspect it was since I had them sitting in the fridge . Beware of the refrigerator ganache killer!
Peanut butter is not my most favorite thing in the world, but I couldn’t forgo the frosting- it was the crowning glory of the cupcake! And let me tell you, the frosting was amazing. My “fork tining” skills aren’t the best, but whatever.
I made these for my coworker’s birthday and they were all gone before 10am. Thank God I had saved a couple at home for myself and the husband. The first thing I did when I stepped into my house after work was eat my cupcake. It was worth the wait. Thanks for the beautiful recipe Alice!
Lan
This was the first recipe I made from the book and it was a few weeks ago so I did not take a picture.
I do not like peanut butter and care very little about chocolate, but these were so cute I could not resist making them, although I am an advanced skills cook, I am not an advanced skills baker.
With that said, I was a bit intimidated by them because they looked so involved. Not the case at all!!!!
The recipe is well written, clear and concise with easy to follow instructions.
I made these for fun but then gave them packaged in brown paper lunch bags tied with twine as gifts to several friends.
I agree with previous poster that the coffee added a wonderful depth to the chocolate. The “cookie” is just genius and was a big hit.
On a different note, my son and his friends from culinary school are in the kitchen as I type, making your Pad Thai (even though it is not in the book, just online) and the blackberry crisp
Thanks so much
H
What a great idea, sounds like so much fun! I love cookbooks, I even enjoy just browsing through them for “something to read.” Yours looks so lovely. I’m wanting to pick up a copy so that I may join you all in the “cook along.”
Okay, I just couldn’t help myself…I just purchased two, one for me, and one for a gift
So excited to get it!
I just received my cookbook! I can’t wait to join the cookbook club!
The ganache and peanut butter frosting makes these cupcakes to die for!! Oh my gosh, they were so, so good. I didn’t have a special occasion to make them for, so I took some to my girls’ dance studio for the teachers and gave a few to a friend, and then my family ate the rest. Rave reviews from everyone!! There is one left and I’m going to eat it after everyone goes to bed, lol. Thanks for another great recipe Alice! I don’t have a pinterest account, so I’ll tag you on facebook in the picture I took of them.
Oh my gosh, a cookbook book club?! You mean I’m not the only one who checks cookbooks out of the library and reads them cover to cover?
I thought I was all alone!
I made these fabulous cupcakes for my sister & brother-in-law’s Going Away Party. They were a huge hit! I used really strong coffee and the flavor was wonderful! Planning to use this recipe as a base to try a few other cupcake experiments
My kids thought the cookie on top was genius, this is a definite repeat!
That looks so delicious! Yum!
Okay, so I signed up for Pinterest, but can’t figure out how to post my picture on the board you linked. I mentioned you in the pin, so maybe you can repin it on the board?
I bought your cookbook the day it came out and I LOVE it! I’ve read it cover to cover at least three times.
I just read about the cookbook club and I am so excited!! I’m away for work for a few days but as soon as I get home I’ll start cooking and taking pics! Thanks Alice!
I love reading about everyone’s cupcake adventures! What I love best about these cupcakes are how impressive they look but do not take a lot of work. The peanut butter chocolate combo is the best gourmet tasting Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup ever.
Lan- If you refrigerate ganache it does looks a bit of its luster but it still tastes so good!!
I made these cupcakes a few weeks ago to take to a friend of ours cabin for the weekend when I was asked to bring dessert. They were fabulous! They look impressive and tasted just as impressive, everyone enjoyed them and agreed the chocolate ganache and peanut butter frosting combo was delicious. We all had a good laugh about how fun and fancy the word “ganache” is =) Another great thing about this recipe is that if you have someone with a peanut allergy you can easily leave the peanut butter cookie frosting off of a couple and the ganache still makes it a great frosting for the cupcake. This proved to be the perfect “thank you” dish for the cabin weekend invite. Love your cookbook Alice and cannot wait to try more of your recipes!
Hi,
These look amazing!
I was just wondering if I’m supposed to be able to access the recipe?
Thanks.
Vicky