Cookies and crème, chocolate peanut butter pretzel cupcake recipes

Two former NFL teammates have whipped up a sweet new show that looks at their post-football passion -- cupcakes.

Michael Griffin and Brian Orakpo joined "Good Morning America" on Wednesday ahead of their new Roku docu-comedy, reality baking series, "The Cupcake Guys."

The former Pro Bowlers who both played for the Tennessee Titans, fell in love with a Nashville-based bakery Gigi's Cupcakes and following their professional careers on the gridiron, Griffin opened a franchise of the confectioner in Austin with Orakpo.

Now, the Cupcake Guys document their journey transitioning from football stars to cupcake kings.

The pair shared two cupcake recipes with "GMA" to recreate a taste of the treats at home.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cookies N' Creme Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup boiling water

For the Cookies N’ Creme Buttercream
10 chocolate sandwich cookies
1 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Line in cupcake liner 24 tins.
In an electric mixer add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt whisk thoroughly till combined.
Add milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla to the flour mixture and mix on med speed until well combined.
Reduce speed and carefully add the boiling hot water to the mixer and mix until well combined.
Line cupcakes pan with liners.
Fill the cups up halfway with batter.
Bake 20-22 minutes. Or until toothpick comes out clean.

For the buttercream
In a food processor crush the 10 chocolate sandwich cookies pulse until you have fine crumbs. Set aside.
In an electric mixer add butter and powdered sugar Mix ½ at time until all blended.
Add vanilla and milk and mix well. Add the crushed chocolate sandwich and blend well. If mixture is to thick add more milk to get to your desired thickness is achieved.
Once cupcakes have cooled use a tip to make a whole in the cupcake. Get a container of cool whip place in a bag and fill the cup cake with cool whip. Then take a bag with round tip and fill with the frosting swirl on the cookies N’ crème frosting sprinkle with crushed chocolate cookies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cupcakes

Ingredients
Gigi’s Chocolate Cake
3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup oil
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups boiling water

Peanut Butter Fluff Filling
Jett Marshmallow Fluff
Creamy peanut butter
Chocolate flavored melting wafers
Pretzel sticks

Directions

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Line in cupcake liners.
In an electric mixer add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt whisk thoroughly till combined.
Add buttermilk , oil, eggs, and vanilla to the flour mixture and mix on med speed until well combined.
Reduce speed and carefully add the boiling hot water to the mixer and mix until well combined.
Fill the lined cups up halfway with batter.
Bake 20-22 minutes. Or until the toothpick comes out clean.

For the peanut butter fluff filling:
While the cupcakes are baking, take one cup of Jett Marshmallow Fluff and place in a bowl.
Add 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter, any brand, and stir until it is all completely mixed together. Set aside for later use.
For the chocolate dipped pretzels Melt 1/4 cup of chocolate flavored melting wafers in a microwave safe bowl. Dip one half of the pretzel stick in the chocolate and place on non-stick paper.

Gigi’s Buttercream Frosting
1 1/2 cups of butter
7 cups of powdered sugar5 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

In an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Mix on low until combined and increase speed and beat well until the frosting is light and fluffy. Approximately 4 min.
Divide the frosting evenly into 2 bowls.
Mix in 1/4 cup of peanut butter in one bowl.
Mix in 1/4 cup cocoa in other bowl.
Take a pastry bag with a star tip and fill one side with the peanut butter frosting and the other side with the chocolate frosting. Set it aside.

For the peanut butter drizzle: Take 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter in a microwavable cup and melt until smooth and liquid. Put in a bottle for easy drizzling.

For the chocolate ganache: Mix in a microwave safe bowl, heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in microwave for 2 min then add 1 cup semi-sweet chips and mix together until chips are melted. Pour into a bottle for easy drizzling.

Decorating
Place cooled cupcakes on a plate.
Poke a hole in the middle of each cupcake.
Fill the cupcake with the Peanut Butter Fluff.
Take the bag of frosting that you have both frosting in and make a swirl on the cupcake.
Top it with a half-dipped chocolate pretzel. Drizzle with the chocolate ganache and then drizzle in the other direction with peanut butter.