Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting...

Have I ever mentioned my love/hate relationship with peanut butter?  I LOVE peanut butter.  In almost any form.  But once I start eating it, I have a very hard time stopping...this is the part I hate!  However, I'm always on the look out for yummy looking recipes that contain peanut butter.  And what could be yummier than a chocolate cupcake topped with a creamy peanut butter frosting?!

The inspiration for these cupcakes originally came from those adorable mini cupcakes they sell at Starbucks.  The first time I made them was last spring.  I hadn't made the leap to baking my cakes from scratch back then, so I used a box mix and concocted (is that right? lol) my own pb frosting recipe.  They were really good.  But this time I used my new favorite chocolate cupcake recipe from Annie's Eats, and if it's possible, they were even better than the first time!

The cupcake itself is very moist and chocolatey, while the frosting is really creamy and peanut buttery.  And, of course, topping it off with a mini Reese's cup, well...doesn't the picture just speak for itself?

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Chocolate Cupcakes
{makes about 24}

What you need:
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp cocoa powder *
1/2 cup plus 1Tbsp hot water
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks plus 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream

What you do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line your cupcake pans with cupcake liners.  Combine the hot water and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.  Set aside.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; whisk to blend.

Combine the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.  Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium -low speed until the mixture is cool, about 5 minutes or so.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of bowl as needed.  Blend in the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture until smooth.  With the mixer on low speed, add the flour in three additions, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour.  Mix each addition until just incorporated. 

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners.  Bake about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cupcake comes out clean.  Let cool in the pans about 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Frosting

What you need:
2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbsp heavy whipping cream or milk

What to do:
Beat the butter and peanut butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until creamy.  Blend in the vanilla.  Add in the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, beating until well incorporated.  Add in the milk or whipping cream, 1 Tbsp at a time, until reaching your desired consistancy.  Frost the cupcakes as desired ( I piped the frosting on using a large star tip) and top with a mini Reese's cup.

* The original recipe from Annie's Eats called for Dutch process cocoa.  I didn't have any so I just used regular Hershey's cocoa powder without any problem. :)