Snickers Cupcakes
Chocolate cupcakes filled with caramel and peanuts and topped with nougat frosting. Add a drizzle of caramel and even more peanuts and you've got yourself a Snickers Cupcake.
Servings 24 cupcakes
Calories 435kcal
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 cup boiling water
- 3 3/4 oz all- purpose flour (3/4 cup)
- 3 oz cake flour (3/4 cup)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 8 oz unsalted butter softened (2 sticks)
- 10 1/2 oz dark brown sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
Italian Meringue Buttercream
- 4 egg whites room temperature
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 16 oz unsalted butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla
Nougat
- 30 g unsalted butter (2 Tbsps)
- 110 g sugar
- 35 ml evaporated milk
- 195 g marshmallow fluff (7 oz jar)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
Toppings
- ½ cup caramel sauce
- ¼ cup salted peanuts
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line cupcake pan with paper cases. Set aside.
- Place chocolate and cocoa powder in a small heat proof bowl. Add the boiling water and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flours, baking soda, and salt. Whisk and set aside.
- Beat butter on a medium- high speed for about a minute, or until creamy. Add brown sugar and beat on a high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl down.
- With the mixer on a medium- high speed. Carefully add the eggs one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Scrape the bowl down.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat on a medium speed until combined, about 10 seconds. Scrape the bowl down.
- Add a third of the dry ingredients and beat on low until just combined. With the mixer running, add half of the chocolate mixture and beat until just combined.
- Add another third of the dry ingredients and beat on low until just combined. With the mixer running, add the remaining chocolate mixture and beat until just combined.
- Add the last of the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Do not over beat. Scrape the bowl down and fold gently to combine.
- Use a large cookie scoop (about 1/4 cup) to evenly dispense the batter into the cupcake pans. Bake for 15- 18 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5- 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before assembling.
Nougat
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium- low heat.
- Add the sugar and evaporated milk. Cook, stirring continuously, for 10- 15 minutes. The sugar should be melted (not grainy) and the mixture should be thickened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the marshmallow fluff and vanilla. Make sure the mixture is well combined. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Place a lid on top, but leave a gap for the hot air to escape.
Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk. Begin whipping on a low speed to break up the eggs. Add the salt and cream of tartar.
- With the mixer on a medium speed, add ⅓ cup of the sugar a tablespoon at a time. Turn the speed up to medium- high and beat until you reach soft peaks.
- While the eggs whip up, place 1 cup of the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Place over medium- high heat and bring the sugar to 235°F - 240°F. Do not stir the sugar as it heats.
- Once the sugar is ready, the egg whites should be at soft peaks. Slowly and carefully drizzle the syrup into the bowl, being careful to avoid the whisk. Continue to beat the meringue until it reaches room temperature. This will take about 20 minutes. Pack the sides of the bowl with ice or frozen veggies to speed up the process.
- When the meringue is no longer warm, switch to a paddle attachment. You can begin adding the butter one tablespoon at a time. Wait about 30 seconds between additions. The mixture will deflate and look loose, but it will thicken up again. If it looks too soupy at any point, pop the bowl in the fridge for 5- 10 minutes.
- Once the butter has been added, scrape down the bowl and add vanilla. Beat to combine.
- Once the nougat is at room temperature, add it to the buttercream. Beat until well combined.
Cupcake Assembly
- To assemble, core a cupcake, being careful not to remove the bottom of the cupcake. Fill halfway with caramel sauce. Add a few peanuts. Pipe a large blob of frosting directly over the hole to cover it. Drizzle with more caramel sauce and top with peanuts.