Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Today I made cupcakes based on the best flavor combination ever created - chocolate and peanut butter. How can you go wrong when these two amazing flavors are working together? My husband disagrees with me on this. He is a very strange individual that doesn't like chocolate and peanut butter. I don't know what's wrong with him! Anyway, in order to try to win him over, I made these cupcakes with less peanut butter than I normally would. I have included tips for you to make them the "real" way if you are a peanut butter fiend like me. I also have the recipe so you can make them at home!

I started with a chocolate buttermilk cake recipe and added chocolate-peanut butter chips at the end. You could also use plain peanut butter chips or even chopped up peanut butter cups. The recipe calls for 1 cup of buttermilk. Let me tell you a secret - powdered buttermilk is the best thing since sliced bread. It is a small container that you keep in the fridge. You mix the powder with water as needed to make however much buttermilk your recipe calls for. You no longer need to buy a large container of buttermilk just to have the leftovers go to waste. There are two ways to use the powder: You can mix it with water before adding to your recipe or you can add the powder with the dry ingredients and the water with the liquid. For this recipe I mixed it beforehand, but you could add the powder into the flour mixture and add the water when the buttermilk is added.

For the icing I just used a basic vanilla buttercream and substituted peanut butter for some of the vegetable shortening. Again since my hubby is not a big peanut butter fan, the icing is a little on the tame side. To make it a stronger peanut butter flavor just add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of peanut butter instead of the 1/4 cup called for in the recipe. If you do this you may not need all of the milk and may need to add a little bit more powdered sugar to stiffen it up. I always make icing in my stand mixer but feel free to use a hand mixer. Just know that your arm will probably get pretty tired! Warning: The cupcakes in this recipe are very crumbly. Do not attempt to spread the icing over the top. I used my decorating bag with my trusty 1M tip. If you don't have a decorating bag and tip, simply fill a sandwich bag with icing and cut off the corner of the bag. Don't seal the bag or it will explode when you squeeze it. I topped all of the cupcakes with a mini peanut butter cup.

These are normal-size cupcakes. I normally make the jumbo ones but I knew I would have a lot to give away if I made them smaller. This recipe makes about 24 cupcakes. Be careful that you don't overfill your liners. The tops will break off when removing from the pan if they are too full.

I hope you make these for yourself! They are made from scratch but they aren't hard to make. Please tell me what you think about them and how you may have adapted the recipe to suit your taste buds.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
(makes approx. 24 cupcakes)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted in double boiler or microwave
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 10-ounce package of chocolate-peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake pans with liners.

In a medium-size bowl sift together flour and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and both sugars until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition until thoroughly incorporated. Add chocolate and mix until well blended. Add the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Once everything is incorporated beat for about 2 minutes until batter is light and fluffy. Gently fold in chocolate-peanut butter chips.

Fill cupcake liners until they are ¾ full. Bake for 20-22 or until tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Do not add frosting until completely cool.

Peanut Butter Buttercream
(makes enough for approx. 24 cupcakes)

¼ cup vegetable shortening
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar
½ cup milk
Pinch of salt

In large bowl of stand mixer add vegetable shortening, peanut butter, vanilla, salt, and a third of the powdered sugar. Beat until well incorporated, scraping bowl as needed. Add a little bit of the milk. Continue adding powdered sugar, alternating with the milk. When everything is completely blended, beat on high for 5-10 minutes to fluff icing. If you find that the icing is too stiff add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is too soft, add additional powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.