Peanuuuut, peanut butter. And JELLY!

When I was little, I didn't like peanut butter and jelly. Peanut butter OR jelly were great, but not together. I'm not sure what I was thinking, but by the time I hit my teens I had realized the sheer genius of the combination. For adults, PB&J is definitely a comfort food - something about the salty, sweet, tart memories of childhood just makes a magical moment.

There's nothing like a sandwich, but this cupcake sure makes a rather lovely substitute. I can't promise you'll make it to the finished product, however - I had to physically separate myself from the bowl of batter so I wouldn't finish it all! I also frosted the cupcakes with straight peanut butter instead of PB frosting because I was too lazy. Delicious, but I felt a little bit like that dog in the got milk commercial...
 


PB&J Cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Yields 18 cupcakes
 

1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 C sugar
2/3 C natural, creamy peanut butter
3 large eggs
1/2 C sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  Set aside. In another bowl, combine natural peanut butter and sour cream.  These will be your wet ingredients.  Set aside.

Cream butter and granulated sugar until white and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in three additions on low speed, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry.  Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.  Do not over mix.

Either line muffin tins with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.  Divide batter among muffin cups filling each 2/3 full.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool on wire racks.




Filling and frosting:
Once cooled, take a small paring knife or apple corer and make a small hole in the center of each cupcake. Make sure you don't poke all the way to the bottom of the cupcake - you want the filling to stay in! Using a small spoon, fill the hole with jam. 
Frost with peanut butter or peanut butter frosting (recipe below), and add a dollop of jam on the top as well if you'd like. 





Peanut Butter Frosting
6 oz cream cheese
1/3 C powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 C creamy peanut butter (not natural)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C heavy cream

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with a mixer on medium speed. Add salt, then peanut butter, then vanilla. Beat cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form, and then fold into peanut butter mixture. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. (Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)