Peanut Buttercup Cupcakes

My family loves peanut butter. So, I had to make this recipe. I really don't think I even had a choice. They are the best. I think if I made these everyday my family would not complain. Can you imagine the conversation: "What are we having for supper?" "PB cupcakes." Since I believe we can't just live off of PB and Penuche, I guess I'll make something else for supper tonight. I have already been asked to make these again. How can I say no?

When my Dad was growing up, he had a gigantic sweet tooth. As an adult, he hardly eats sweets. He would recommend this dessert. I took a photo of him with his cupcake but I am not allowed to post it. I made a peanut butter frosting and drizzled the peanut-penuche icing on top. Please make sure to checkout the other posting for this week at Project Pastry Queen.

Peanut Buttercup Cupcakes
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup peanut butter 
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
3.5 oz bar bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine or in chip form

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Line cupcake liners into a muffin tin.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
4. Add the butter, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla. Mix for 1 minute on medium-low speed.
5. Add the eggs and beat for 90 seconds on medium-high speed.
6. Fill the cupcake liners only 1/8 full with the cake batter.
7. Add a few pieces chocolate pieces in the middle of each cake batter.
8. Cover the chocolate and the batter reaches only half full in the cupcake liners. (If you add too much, the batter will overflow over the liners.) 
9. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cupcakes are light brown and a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out with no crumbs on it.
10. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.
11. After removing from pan, allow the cupcakes to cool at least another 5 minutes before frosting.

Peanut-Penuche Icing
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup milk
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, peanut butter, milk, brown sugar, and salt over medium heat.
2. Bring the mixture to a low boil and cook for 90 seconds without stirring. Take the saucepan off the burner and allow to cool for only 30 minutes. 
3. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar.
4. Beat the mixture on medium speed until creamy about 1 minute.
5. Frost the cupcakes with the Peanut Butter-Penuche Frosting.
6. Drizzle the remaining Peanut-Penuche Icing over the cupcakes.

Recipe adapted from Pastry Queen Cookbook.

Peanut Butter-Penuche Frosting
1 tsp vanilla
8 oz butter, room temperature
3 cups powder sugar
1/4 cup peanut-penuche icing
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup milk

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, add the vanilla, butter, sugar, peanut-penuche icing, peanut butter, and milk.
2. Mix the ingredients on medium speed. 
3. If the frosting isn't the right consistency, add a little more milk or sugar until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Frost immediately.

Recipe created by Jen of Sweet Morris.

Did you already know...........
-Penuche is a fudge like candy.
-July 22 is National Penuche Day.
-Penuche has been around since the late 1800s.
-Reese's Pieces have a peanut penuche filling.