Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

 If you love chocolate and peanut butter, you will love this cupcake.  It's simply gorgeous.  It's light and at each bite, you will get a nice chunk of peanut.  This is the first time that I tried this recipe from 'Cupcake Galore' by Gail Wagman.  I've tried a few other recipes from this book and they all turned out good.  This is no different.  The frosting is so fudgy and chocolaty.  If you have school-going children like I do, drop this in their lunch bag as an 'after-lunch/break' treat at school.  Provided if you have any left at all!

You don't have to frost these cupcakes if you don't want to.  They taste just as good without any frosting!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

yields: 18 cupcakes

300g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

60g dark choc

60g unsalted butter

4 tbsp smooth peanut butter

 (I used chunky peanut butter and you'll get the peanut in the cake)

200g sugar (I used 150g)

2 eggs

180 ml milk

120g peanut choc chips (optional)

Frosting:

90g milk choc

60g unsalted butter

250g icing sugar (I used 2/3 cup)

pinch of salt

60ml double cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp smooth peanut butter (again, I used chunky peanut butter)

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F.

2. Mix flour, b.p and salt together.

3. Melt choc in a bowl over simmering water. Set aside to cool.

4. In large bow, with an electric mixer, cream butter, peanut butter and sugar til light and fluffy.  Add eggs ones at a time, mixing well.  Add melted choc and mix well.  Alternately beat in dry ingredients and milk.

5. Spoon batter into cupcake papers till 2/3 full. Bake for 25 mins or until done. Cool on wire rack.

To make the frosting:

1. Heat choc and butter in large bowl over simmering water until just melted. Remove from heat and cool.

2. Using a whisk or wooden spoon, beat sugar, salt, cream and vanilla until smooth.  Add cooled choc mixture and peanut butter and beat until blended.  Put the frosting in the refrigerator until it thickens. (about 20-30 mins)

3. Remove from refrigerator, beat until frosting is of spreading consistency, and frost the cupcakes.  Decorate with peanut-choc sweets or sprinkles.