Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Yay thanks to another birthday this week I have the excuse and pleasure to make some more cupcakes!.....  Oh boy do you need a tall glass of milk to go with these babies. These cupcakes are a combination of Peanut butter batter swirled with a chocolate peanut butter batter and it doesn't stop there. The frosting is a peanut butter cream cheese frosting swirled with a peanut butter chocolate frosting.  oh yeah....if you need a chocolate peanut butter fix here it is :)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications 2012

Yields: 24 Cupcakes and 12 mini Cupcakes

Bake Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 Cups Flour

2 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Butter

1/3 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

1 Cup packed Brown Sugar

3/4 Cup Sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

3 Eggs

1 Cup Almond Milk

4 Ounces Bitter Sweet Dark Chocolate

Directions

Let your butter and eggs stand for at least room temp for 30 Minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 F and line 2 cupcake tins with paper cups and a mini tin with small paper cups.

In a medium bowl combine your flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. 

In a large bowl beat the butter for 30 seconds on medium speed in a electric mixer then add the peanut butter mix until combined. Add the brown sugar and sugar about 1/4 at a time, beat on medium speed until combined. scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 2 more minutes or until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beat well after each addition. Mix in Vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the batter until fully combined. 

Place half of the batter in a separate bowl, add the melted chocolate to the large bowl on the electric mixture and beat till combined. 

Fill the muffin cups by alternating spoonfuls of the peanut butter and chocolate batter. add to about 2/3 full and use a butter knife or chopsticks to swirl the batter. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. remove from tin and cool on wire rack. 

Peanut Butter  and Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese at room temp

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

2 teaspoons Vanilla

6 Cups Powdered Sugar

4 ounces melted Dark Chocolate

Almond Milk to help thin out the frosting

Directions

Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter  and vanilla in a electric mixer until combined.  Add the powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time, use the milk to help thin out the frosting until the desired consistency. Once all the powdered sugar is mixed, place half the batter into a separate bowl. 

Add 4 ounces of cooled melted chocolate into one of the bowls with the peanut butter frosting and beat with an electric mixture, adding in milk to help complete the desired consistency.  

To pipe 

using a pastry bag with a star tip place chocolate frosting to one side and the peanut butter frosting on the other side and pipe frosting into swirls. Top with candied recess pieces cups.