Thelma's Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Swiss Buttercream

Thelma's Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups sugar, brown or white (454g)
• 2 cups all purpose flour (272g or 9oz)
• 2/3 cups high quality cocoa powder, like valrhona (90g)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (6g)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (8g)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (6g)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature (100g)
• 1/2 cup room temperature melted butter (120g)
• 1 cup old coffee or water (240ml)
• 1 cup buttermilk, though plain milk will do (240ml)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (10g)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare your cupcake pan with liners.
2. Sift your flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder into a large bowl. Add your sugar and salt - whisk until combined. Set aside.
3. Measure out your buttermilk, coffee, melted butter, eggs and vanilla and add to dry ingredients. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until there are no lumps.
4. Fill your cupcake liners 2/3 high with batter and bake for 10 - 12 minutes until they bounce back when touched OR when a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool, or if you're impatient like I am, put them in the freezer for a few minutes.

Peanut Butter Swiss Buttercream

• 1 1/4 cup white sugar (250g)
• 5 large egg whites, room temperature (should weigh out to 150g)
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla (7g)
• 3 sticks room temperature butter, cut in small cubes (340g)
• 3/4 cups (or more) peanut butter, to taste

1. Add your egg white and sugar to a very clean bowl over a double boiler. Whisk them until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is quite hot.
2. Using a stand mixer, Whip the hot sugar and whites into a fluffy meringue for as long as it takes until the meringue is room temperature, not hot.
3. While still whisking, slowly add your room temperature butter one cube at a time until it's thoroughly incorporated. Add your vanilla. Follow with your peanut butter, tasting inbetween additions. You can really add as much or as little as you like.
4. Pipe or use an offset to decorate your cupcakes. Make sure the cupcakes are completely cooled or the icing will slide off - disastrous!