Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

So I talked about these cupcakes the other day... I had an order for 24 birthday cupcakes and it was decided that half would be these chocolate peanut butter cupcakes.  Oh, these are one of my absolute favorites and I was glad to hear they went over well at the party.  The little kick of peanut butter frosting that is hiding inside of these is what makes them so special.  Well, that's about it... these are delicious... knock yourself out.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Recipe Notes

These cupcakes are made in XL foil cupcake liners because having a bigger cupcake allows for more peanut butter frosting.  These cups are also nice because you don't even need a cupcake pan to make cupcakes.  They stand alone on a regular baking sheet and you can remove the foil layer when they are finished baking.  You can make these in a regular cupcake pan, but you will not have as much cupcake left after you carve some out for the peanut butter frosting.  The XL cupcake cups can be found in almost any grocery store next to regular cupcake liners.  To make these extra special, you can make homemade chocolate frosting, but the peanut butter frosting and mini chocolate chips are two new twists that make this cupcake seem very special even if you use boxed cake mix and frosting.  If you are piping the icing on, you will need 2 cans, but if you are just spreading the chocolate frosting on top, you will have enough with one can.

Ingredients

12 XL stand alone cupcake cups (see recipe notes above)

1 boxed devil's food cake mix + ingredients to make cupcakes

1 cup of smooth peanut butter

1 1/4 cup of powdered sugar

1 stick of butter, softened

2 cans of chocolate fudge flavored frosting 

2 cups mini chocolate chips

Step by Step

Bake cupcakes according to directions, filling cupcakes cups 2/3 of the way full.  Allow a few minutes extra baking time for extra large cupcakes.  To test: Push cupcake with finger... when it springs back, cupcakes are done.  Allow to cool completely.

While cupcakes are baking make peanut butter frosting.  Combine peanut butter, powdered sugar and butter in a bowl.  Beat until combined and a smooth frosting has formed.  Spoon peanut butter frosting into a ziploc bag.  Cut the tip off of the bag.   

Using a sharp knife, cut a small cone shape in each cupcake and remove cone.  To do this, cut into cupcake diagonally and draw a circle.  (see picture above)  Pipe a small dollop of frosting into each cupcake.  Cover and place cupcakes in the refrigerator.  Allow the peanut butter icing to firm up.  (This will make frosting the top easier.) 

Remove from refrigerator and top cupcakes with chocolate frosting.  Option #1:  Spread icing on with a knife.  Option #2:  Place chocolate frosting in a piping bag and pipe icing on to cupcake.  Immediately sprinkle each cupcake with mini chocolate chips before the icing dries.