Candy Bar Cupcake #3: Peanut Cupcakes with Nougat-Chocolate Frosting

A cupcake that tastes like a Snickers bar? No way. But luckily for sugar and candy lovers out there, it's true. My friend Brianne made them over the weekend and said they were delicious. The Food Network calls this recipe, "Peanut Cupcakes with Nougat-Chocolate Frosting. I call it a little piece of heaven. I'm anxious to try them out, but fell so completely in love with the idea and the photo that I want to share the recipe now. I mean, talk about food porn. Just imagine taking a big bite out that cupcake. The creamy nougat, the rich chocolate glaze, the roasted, salty peanuts...now that's a tasty mouthful.

Photo courtesy of FoodNetwork.com

I asked my friend for her thoughts on making the cupcakes and these are the modifications she would make to the recipe:

1. Use slightly fewer peanuts than the recipe calls for. Maybe 1 1/2 cups instead of 2 full cups. She said the actual cupcakes had a few too many peanuts in them for her taste.
2. She could only find 7oz. Marshmallow Creme jars at her local grocery store, while the recipe calls for two 13oz. jars. She bought four to equal the amount called for in the recipe, and realized that two jars was more than enough. So keep those notes in mind when you make these beauties.
3. The nougat was a bit hard to work with and the chocolate glaze ended up sliding off the top of the nougat. My thought? Top the cupcakes with the nougat, refrigerate them until the nougat sets, and then top with the chocolate glaze. The chocolate should stay that way.

For the Cupcakes:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole milk

2 cups chopped salted roasted peanuts, plus more for garnish

For the Nougat Frosting:

2 13-ounce jars marshmallow creme (about 4 cups)

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Pinch of salt

For the Chocolate Frosting:

6 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup whole milk

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

Make the cupcakes: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

In another bowl, beat the eggs and both sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the melted butter and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the flour mixture, the milk and then the remaining flour. Fold in the peanuts but don't overmix.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups, filling each about halfway. Bake until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pans 10 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Make the nougat frosting: Beat the marshmallow creme, peanut butter and salt with a mixer until smooth; set aside. Make the chocolate frosting: Put both chocolates in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave on 50 percent power until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, then continue to microwave until melted, 1 to 2 more minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, butter, vanilla and salt and beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy.

Spread nougat frosting over each cupcake, then top with chocolate frosting, leaving some of the nougat exposed. Garnish with peanuts.