Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cupcakes

We are nearing the end of National Cupcake Week, only two more days eat as many cupcakes as possible and shrug it off with a ‘well it is National Cupcake Week.’ In the end I didn’t manage to organise a cupcake party (everyone was busy) but I did manage to bake a batch of cupcakes to share around and spread the cupcake yumminess.

As cupcakes are an American invention I decided to go with chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes. Not only a delicious combination, but also one that is decidedly American.

The chocolate cupcakes were good, but to me their main purpose was as a carrier for the divine peanut butter frosting. This is a recipe I have adapted from a standard vanilla buttecream recipe and one I have made lots of times in the past few months. It produces a thick, yet creamy peanut butter buttercream that’s not too sweet and is intensely flavoured with peanut. There is nothing worse than being promised a peanut butter flavour only to find it practically non existent.

After a swirl of the frosting I added some chocolate covered peanuts to decorate and add a bit of crunch. As I’m sure everyone has got their own favourite chocolate cupcake recipe I am only giving the frosting recipe below (leftovers taste great on toast too – shh!)

Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
70g butter
80g smooth peanut butter
260g icing sugar
25-40ml milk

Method
Make sure the butter is soft. Cream the butter together with the peanut butter until smooth and well combined.
Add the icing sugar, a third at a time, mixing well until incorporated. Add the milk as and when needed if it becomes a bit stiff.
Use more milk to slacken the frosting to the right piping consistency.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Pipe on top of your chosen cupcakes and decorate with a few chocolate covered peanuts to decorate.
Eat and enjoy.
Makes enough for 12 cupcakes