Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

The third recipe in 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson is Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes. Sadly, I wasn't able to make these this weekend because of the salmonella outbreak in peanut butter and peanut butter products. I didn't want to risk anybody getting sick or anything happening. Once the outbreak is over, I'll probably make them. If I don't get around to making them, maybe someone can make them instead and tell me how it goes! =)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
*makes 12 cupcakes*

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350F.
2) Line muffin pan with paper liners.
3) In a small bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
4) In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together granulated and brown sugars and butter until well combined. Add peanut butter, beating until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla until mixture is smooth. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of milk, beating until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
5) Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting.

This recipe included one variation:
Omit the chocolate chips.

I would've topped each version with different frostings: the original with Peanut Butter Frosting, and the variation with Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting
*makes enough to frost 16 cupcakes*

Ingredients:
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
pinch salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp milk

Directions:
1) In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together confectioner's sugar, butter, and salt until creamy. Add peanut butter, beating well. Add milk and beat until smooth and creamy.
2) Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes.

Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting
*makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes*

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
pinch salt
2 cups confectioner's sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted

Directions:
1) In a bowl, beat together butter, peanut butter, and salt until creamy. With mixer on low speed, beat in confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup at a time so that the sugar doesn't fly all over the place. Add cocoa powder, beating until very smooth and creamy.
2) Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes.



Recipes from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson