Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe

Directions:

Start by preparing the filling. In a medium bowl mix together the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until well blended. Shape the peanut butter filling into 24 balls. (Balls will be sticky and don’t need to be perfectly shaped.) Place the peanut butter balls on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 standard muffin-pan cups with paper liners.

To prepare the cupcakes, mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, mix together sour cream, milk, and 1 tsp vanilla, then set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the granulated sugar and butter on low speed and mix until just blended. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1 minute. Reduce speed to low; and add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat for 1 to 2 more minutes until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until ingredients are combined, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

Spoon 1 heaping measuring tablespoon batter into each muffin-pan cup. Drop 1 peanut butter ball in center of each cup and top with another heaping tablespoon batter. Bake cupcakes 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cupcake comes out clean. Immediately remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting. In large bowl, with mixer on medium-low speed, beat butter, cream cheese, and peanut butter until smooth and blended. Add powdered sugar slowly, incorporating fully after each addition. Add the whipped topping and beat until smooth and creamy. Frost cupcakes as desired.