Fluffernutter cupcakes for Cupcake Hero :: peanut butter

Fluffernutter Cupcakes

Oh. My. Gosh.  The only people in the house when I was finishing up these cupcakes were Jim and me.  Thank goodness for small favors, because as soon as I had polished off my first fluffernutter cupcake, I must say there were some expletives flying around my kitchen.  Several colorful phrases, all in reference to how incredibly spectacular these cupcakes are.  Jim was teasing me about just posting my exact words on the blog and leaving it at that.  I just couldn’t do it.  This is a G-rated blog, after all.  And besides that… my mom reads it!  {Hi, Mom!}

So now that I’ve properly cleaned up my language, let me tell you about these cupcakes.  The cupcake is a rich peanut butter cupcake from Elinor Klivans’ great book, cupcakes! It’s fabulous all on its own.  But that just wouldn’t be Cupcake Hero worthy, would it?  When the cupcakes came out of the oven, I put some milk chocolate chips on top of each one and let them get all warm and soft.  I spread the chocolate around to cover the top and let it set up a little while I made the frosting.  If I’d have just stopped there, this would have been a delicious cupcake.  But, people, I have to tell you that a pile of fluffernutter frosting on top just makes you weak in the knees.  I’m talking sighs and yummy noises here.  It’s really that good.  Really.

So get your cupcake liners out and be sure to have some milk in the fridge, cause you’re gonna need it.  And you can thank me later.  And you will.  {smile}

Recipe:  Peanut Butter Cupcakes

(slightly adapted from cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans)

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 c. smooth peanut butter

1 c. packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 c. milk, any fat content

milk chocolate chips or milk chocolate candy bar

fluffernutter frosting – recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

In bowl of mixer, on medium speed, beat the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar until smoothly blended and lightened in color, about 1 minute.  Scrape down bowl and add egg and vanilla.  Beat for 1 minute until batter is smooth.  On low speed, alternately add flour mixture in 3 additions and milk in 2 additions, starting and ending with flour.  Mix until flour is incorporated and batter is smooth.

Fill each paper liner with a generous 1/4 c. of batter.  Bake until the tops feel firm and are lightly browned, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes.  There may be a few small cracks on top.

Remove cupcakes from oven and place a piece of a candy bar or several chocolate chips on top of each.  Allow chocolate to soften enough to spread.  Spread to cover top of cupcakes and allow to cool completely.  Frost with fluffernutter frosting.  These cupcakes are at their very tastiest when eaten fresh while the chocolate is slightly soft.

Recipe:  Fluffernutter Frosting

(adapted from The Recipe Link)

1 c. marshmallow fluff

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

1/3 c. butter, softened

1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/3 c. powdered sugar

1-2 Tbsp. milk

In mixer bowl, on low speed, combine fluff, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt until blended.  Scrape down bowl, and add powdered sugar.  Beat until blended.  Add just enough milk to make frosting the desired consistency.

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