Cupcakes, for the birthday boy!

In my previous post, I talked about it being my son's 17th birthday.
I knew that I wanted to make him some kind of celebratory sweet treat but, what?
When I figured it out, it was an ah-ha moment. How could I not have thought if it right away?
My son is notorious for loving the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. I think, if it were possible, that he would eat nothing BUT that, and even more so, would brush his teeth with it, should it ever become a toothpaste flavor. Even his morning breakfast cereal of choice, is none other than Reese's puffs.

For this birthday I chose to make a reverse of sort's from previous cupcakes that I have made. I chose a peanut butter cake with a chocolate buttercream. MMMMmmmMMM! :P

Here's what I did....

PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt, table

2 large eggs

2/3 cups sugar, granulated

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted completly, no chunks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

1/2 to 2/3 cups peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line the muffin tin with cupcake liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl

Add eggs and sugar and beat with electric mixer until evenly combined. While beating, gradually add the butter, then the vanilla.

Add the peanut butter first, then while beating, add the milk slowly.
(This is a very thick batter that makes a dense, not too sweet cake)

Spoon or scoop into cupcake liners. Bake for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!)

3 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract

4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions: Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
Frost as desired.

(I chose to only make half of a recipe of the frosting and it was way more than enough to frost the cakes generously and still have some left over )

Yummy!