Ode to Chubby Hubby Cupcakes

When I saw that this week's America's Test Kitchen "Dish it Your Way" blogger challenge was cupcakes, the wheels in my head immediately began turning. I took to Facebook, proclaiming my plan of days and days of brainstorming. I jotted down ideas that incorporated lemon curd--a bright flavor perfect for the end of summer. But as it happens, fate intervened and my friend Brad came up with the best idea ever. All it took was the simple comment, "Make some that taste like Chubby Hubby, salty and sweet."

For those of you who've been here before, you know my affinity for all things salty and sweet. Ice cream is no exception. Even with a simple scoop of vanilla from the freezer, I'll jazz it up with toffee bits, crushed pretzels and chocolate syrup. But of course, no one does it better than my friends Ben and Jerry. I like to think that I've introduced countless friends to what becomes their favorite ice cream (or close to it): Chubby Hubby. Chubby Hubby ice cream is precisely this: fudge covered, peanut butter filled pretzels in vanilla malt ice cream with fudge and peanut butter swirls.

The idea of Chubby Hubby cupcakes was planted, and there would be no going back. My biggest worry was the vanilla malt cake base. I've made Baked's malted milk ball cake in cupcake form a number of times and the cake always turns out oddly sticky, though delicious. I asked @brooklynbaker himself (Matt Lewis, one of the masters at Baked) for his input on my issue, but we couldn't figured it out. So I made a couple adjustments to the recipe--slightly different cake flour/AP flour ratio and reducing the baking soda, malted milk powder and egg whites--and crossed my fingers. Well, IT WORKED! Maybe it was something as simple as over-whipping the egg whites previously, but this time the cake turned out just as I hoped.

So, without further ado, I give you Ode to Chubby Hubby Cupcakes.

Makes approximately 36 cupcakes.

Ingredients

Vanilla Malt Cake

1 3/4 cups cake flour

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 cup malted milk powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups ice cold water

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

Chocolate Fudge Filling (you will likely have happy leftovers)

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Bits (feel free to purchase and crush chocolate-covered pretzels instead) 

3 cups mini pretzels (or more, if desired)

1/2 cup reserved chocolate fudge filling (from above)

Peanut Butter Frosting

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons milk, or as needed

2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Preparation

Vanilla Malt Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin or cupcake tins with cupcake liners (you'll fill 3 total).

2. Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg together into a large bowl. Whisk in malted milk powder. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

4. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, alternating with ice water, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

5. In a medium bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Do not over-beat. Gently fold egg whites into the batter.

6. Fill cupcake liners nearly full (at least 3/4 full) with batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time (180 degrees and switching racks if baking two tins at a time), until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer tins to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes, then remove cupcakes from the tin to cool completely on wire rack.

Chocolate Fudge Filling

1. Place chocolate chips, sugar and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Heat evaporated milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate mixture. Let stand about 5 minutes for chocolate to melt. Add vanilla and whisk until filling is smooth and combined. Reserve 1/4 to 1/2 cup for pretzels. Chill remaining filling in the refrigerator for at least one hour. 

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Bits

1. Crush or break pretzels into small bits, generally no larger than 1/2 inch long. Move pretzels to a small bowl.

2. Pour chocolate over pretzels and stir to coat. Spread in a single layer on a piece of parchment or wax paper. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. 

Peanut Butter Frosting

1. Place butter and peanut butter into bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until combined.

2. Gradually add powdered sugar (my, what a mess this stuff makes!) and add milk one tablespoon at a time if necessary. Beat for at least 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add more milk if you prefer a more spreadable frosting or scoop frosting as is into a pastry bag fitted with the frosting tip of your choice.

 Assembly

What to do with all the extra filling? Hmm...

Cupcake money shot

 1. Cut a small cone shape out of the top of each cupcake; 1/2 to 3/4-inch wide. Discard (read: eat) little cake cones. Fill each cupcake with as much chocolate as it will hold (1/2 to 1 teaspoon... the more the better, I say!).

2. Top cupcake with peanut butter frosting in whatever manner you desire.

3. Sprinkle frosting with chocolate-covered pretzel bits (the chocolate may not harden, so this can be a little messy).

4. Eat. EAT. EAT! And share, please. Refrigerate cupcakes in an air tight container and bring to room temperature before indulging further.