Jim's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

 

We celebrated Valentine's Day a day late, but on our engagement anniversary and Jim has been wanting me to make these cupcakes for a while now.  They were definitely worth the three hours it took for me to figure out the recipe - don't worry, it's not has hard as I made it!  So without further ado...

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

¾ cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup powdered sugar

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup butter (  ½ sticks), softened

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

4 ounces chocolate chips, melted and cooled

1 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 6 cup muffin tins, or line with papers.

2.     Combine peanut butter and powdered sugar, beat until light and fluffy. Set aside.

3.     Whisk four, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.

4.     Combine butter and granulated sugar, beat until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add chocolate and beat until combined.

5.     Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture and beat to combine.  Add vanilla and mix well.

6.     Fill muffin tins half full with batter. Spoon about ½ tablespoon of peanut butter mixture on top of batter (do not spread).  Spoon remaining batter over peanut butter.  Bake 15-18 minutes.  Cool and frost with your favorite chocolate or peanut butter icing. 

I used homemade peanut butter frosting with the following recipe: 

½ cup butter (1 stick), room temperature

1 cup Brand Name peanut butter, room temperature

2 cups powder sugar, sifted

2-4 tablespoons milk or cream

Cream butter and peanut butter together with an electric mixer.  Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until well blended.   Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, to mixture and beat on medium-high for 3-4 minutes.