SunButter Pretzel Chocolate Cupcakes
I wanted to thank SunButter® for sponsoring this SunButter Pretzel Chocolate Cupcakes post! As always, all opinions and ideas are 100% my own.
I love me a good sweet/salty combination – something about it always gets my mouth watering. And boy is this SunButter Pretzel Chocolate Cupcakes recipe just that! A fudgy chocolate cupcake sits on top of a sweet & salty pretzel base, and is topped with a creamy SunButter frosting! Truly divine.
WHAT IS SUNBUTTER?
SunButter, for those who have never heard of it or had the pleasure of trying it, is a seed-butter spread that is made from sunflower seeds! SunButter is an excellent alternative to nut-butters for any one with allergies, sensitivities, or looking to incorporate a delicious, but healthier alternative to most nut-butters! It has 7g of protein per serving, is jam-packed with vitamins & minerals, and has absolutely no trans-fat and actually has less saturated fat than your typical almond butter!
Check out my SunButter Milk Chocolate Cream Puffs, SunButter Salted Caramel Cheesecake and SunButter Banana Layer Cake if you’re interested in more SunButter recipes!
Making the Pretzel Base for the Chocolate Cupcakes
These cupcakes wouldn’t be pretzel chocolate cupcakes without the sweet and salty pretzel base! This pretzel base is essentially a pretzel crust, similar to a cheesecake pretzel crust, that sits on the bottom of the cupcake!
To make it, start by blitzing pretzels and sugar in a food processor until the pretzels are finely ground. Pour in the melted butter and pulse until the butter is well-dispersed throughout! Scoop about 2 tablespoons of this pretzel base into each cupcake liner, then press it down using a flat bottomed ¼ cup measure! Finally, bake in the oven for 8 minutes, then allow to cool to room temperature before topping with the chocolate cupcake batter.
HOW TO MAKE THE Pretzel CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
1. Make the pretzel base: As described above, make the pretzel base, then press it into the bottom of the cupcake liners.
2. Combine wet ingredients: Add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, sour cream, and oil, to a large mixing bowl, then beat together with a whisk until the mixture is smooth and well-combined.
3. Whisk together the dry ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Bloom the cocoa: Add the sifted cocoa powder to the warm coffee. Mix until smooth, and then add to the wet mixture from above.
5. Add the dry & wet together: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, and whisk together until smooth. Try not to over mix though!
6. Add to pan & bake: Pour the SunButter Pretzel Chocolate Cupcakes batter over the pretzel base in the cupcake pans, then place into the oven to bake! When done, allow the Chocolate Cupcakes to cool completely before topping with SunButter frosting!
‘Blooming’ the Cocoa
You’ll notice in the recipe instructions that you have to add the cocoa powder to hot coffee before adding it to the batter. This is known as ‘blooming’ that cocoa. The reasoning behind this process is that the hot liquid dissolves flavor particles within the cocoa powder, making the final product taste more chocolatey! While we’re at it, you may also be wondering why these Pretzel Chocolate Cupcakes as well as many other chocolate cake or cupcake recipes, are made with coffee. Again, the reasoning for this is because the coffee actually intensifies that chocolate flavor! Neat, huh?!
Get the Recipe: SunButter Pretzel Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Pretzel Base
- 2 oz (60g) Pretzels,, equal to about 1 cup of crushed pretzels
- 2 tbsp White Sugar
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter,, melted
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 150 g All-Purpose Flour,, about 1¼ cups measured volumetrically
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Table Salt
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 cup White Sugar
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 6 tbsp (38 g) Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
- 6 tbsp Hot Freshly Brewed Coffee
SunButter Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups Unsalted Butter,, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup Original SunButter
- 5 ¼ cups Confectioners Sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- Pinch of Salt
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Stand mixer
Instructions
Pretzel Base
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and prepare 2 cupcake pans with liners (16 cupcakes total). Add pretzels and sugar to a food process and grind into fine crumbs. Pour melted butter into the food processor, and pulse until the butter is well dispersed. Spoon 2 tbsp (30mL) of pretzel crust into each cupcake liner, then press down with a ¼ cup measuring cup. Place into the oven to bake for 8 minutes. Allow to cool while you make the cupcake batter.
Chocolate Cupcakes
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk together to combine. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, add the egg, sugar, sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla. Whisk together until smooth and well combined.
- In a small mixing bowl or 2-cup liquid measuring cup, add the hot coffee and cocoa powder. Whisk together until well combined and smooth. Allow to sit for 2 minutes, then add the cocoa mixture into the mixing bowl with the wet ingredients (eggs, sour cream, etc.), then mix until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and mix until smooth. Pour the cake batter over top of the pretzel bases in the cupcake pan, stopping when each one is 2/3 full, then bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
SunButter Buttercream
- Add the butter to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large bowl. Beat on high until the butter is doubled in volume and looks light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the SunButter, then beat until combined.
- Turn the stand mixer or hand mixer to low and slowly add the confectioners sugar, then add the vanilla and salt. Beat on medium until completely incorporated and smooth.
- Pipe onto cooled cupcakes then garnish with mini pretzels and caramel sauce.
