Tuesday Treats chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes

Who agrees with me that chocolate and peanut butter are one of nature's most perfect combinations? The sweetness of the chocolate and the saltiness of peanut butter oh my! One of my Sean's favorite desserts is anything chocolate and peanut butter so when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it. I had a chocolate and peanut butter pie for his birthday last year and he still raves about it to this day, almost a year later.

I guess you could say that I am going through my cupcake phase right now, last week was cupcakes and this one is again, bear with me. I also told you that there would be anything lemon in this week's recipe although it seemed like not too many of you minded if I continued with lemon. But I wanted to change things up a bit this week! So introducing chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes!

First gather all your ingredients. Before I list the ingredients, I am always an from scratch baker except I can use the occasional cake or brownie mix, hey I'm allowed :-) Ok onto the ingredients.

 You need 1 box devil's food cake mix, 1 package (3.4oz) chocolate pudding mix, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup of vegetable oil, 4 eggs, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of instant espresso granules dissolved in 1/2 cup of hot water, 30 mini peanut butter cups, frozen! I got my peanut butter cupcakes at Trader Joes but Reese's 

will work just as well.

Preheat your oven to 350 degree and put cupcake liners into your cupcake pan. This recipe says it makes 30 cupcakes, which is a lot but you won't regret it :-) 

To make the batter, mix together the cake mix, the pudding mix, the sour cream, the oil, the eggs, the vanilla extract and the espresso water.

Yummy chocolate batter!

 Once all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly together then you can start filling up your cupcake liners with 3 tablespoons of batter or eyeball it until it is about 2/3 full of batter.

Kip and Kimbia wanted to help me bake treats for everyone :-)

Then take your frozen peanut butter cups out of the freezer and add one cup to each cupcake and
push the peanut butter cup down slightly.

Then put your cupcakes in the oven for 18-22 minutes. You can stick a toothpick in the cupcake to see if it is done but be sure not to put the toothpick in the center where the peanut butter cup is otherwise your toothpick will come out all chocolatey and peanut buttery and you might think it isn't done. Once the cupcakes are baked enough, take them out of the tin and set them on a counter to cool.

 In my case, don't walk away from the kitchen while the cupcakes are cooling because Kimbia, our little jack russell/italian greyhound mix will jump up on the counter and eat the cupcakes.
Now we can't have her eating chocolate!

'

You are ready for the frosting then. Gather your ingredients, which are 3 sticks of butter or 1 1/2 cup, 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract, 2 pounds of powdered sugar, and 3-4 tablespoons of
milk (I used heavy cream).

Cream the peanut butter and butter together first. 

Then add the powdered sugar in two batches.
 You don't want a snowstorm of powdered sugar all over your kitchen.

 Finally add the vanilla and the milk to the ingredients already mixed. 
You can add more milk depending on your preference of thinness. 

When you get the desired consistency you like, then get the mixer go for 5-7 to give the frosting more fluff!. Then frosting your cupcakes either with a knife or a pastry bag and frosting tip. I decorated my cupcakes with half of a peanut butter cup. Eat, enjoy and smile!