One shouldn't underestimate the importance of peanuts to the South. In the late 1800s, agriculture in the Deep South was in serious trouble because poor cotton cultivation practices had left the soil depleted, and erosion had then taken its toll. George Washington Carver, born into slavery in Missouri in 1864, was instrumental in promoting the humble peanut and salvaging Southern agriculture. Mr. Carver helped Southern farmers restore their depleted soils by planting peanuts, nitrogen-fixing legumes that not only reinvigorated the soil but also provided an inexpensive protein source. When Carver arrived at the Tuskegee Institute in 1896 to head its agriculture division, the peanut had not even been recognized as a crop, but within the next half century it became one of the six leading crops throughout the United States and, in the South, the second cash crop (after cotton) by 1940. (Source: biography.com)
Now that the history lesson is over, let's turn to this recipe. I've seen many different peanut butter cookie and frosting recipes, but never a cake recipe. This recipe is a divine peanut butter cookie in cake form. Combine it with a chocolate ganache with just a tang from sour cream, and you have heaven in a cupcake wrapper. This cake is so good I have nefarious plans for it that include a Southern version of Boston Cream Pie, with peanut butter and banana cakes encasing a custard and topped with a chocolate glaze and pecans. I think I will call it Memphis Cream Pie...but that is for another day.
This cake is easy to make and you probably have all the ingredients on hand. Make it! Now! I made it into cupcakes, but it would work as a layer cake (two 8- or 9-inch layers) or even a 9 x 13 sheet cake.
Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes
1 cup (9 ounces) creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (14 ounces) firmly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
6 large eggs
2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sour Cream Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake papers. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream peanut butter and butter. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in vanilla.
Fill each cupcake paper about 2/3 full. Gently tap pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake for about 15 minutes or until top springs back when touched gently. Remove cupcakes from pan immediately and let cool completely. Frost with chocolate ganache and sprinkle with peanuts.
Sour Cream Chocolate Ganache
12 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (good quality chocolate chips are fine)
14 ounces sour cream
Place chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high power for 30 seconds; stir. Repeat 1 or 2 more times, or until chocolate is completely melted. Immediately stir in sour cream, beating until uniformly colored. Pipe or spread on top of cooled cupcakes.