Who doesn’t enjoy a peanut butter/chocolate combination? Aside from those with nut allergies, I’m pretty sure we’re all in agreement. Give me the peanut butter and chocolate cupcake now! Wait. I said peanut butter ball. Yes, I rolled peanut butter into a ball and placed it in the middle of a chocolate cupcake. A layer of chocolate, a peanut butter ball, and topped with another generous scoop of chocolate. After all of that action I topped this cupcake with a peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Are you in love with this recipe? In case you haven’t decided I should add I also finished it off with shaved ghirardelli dark chocolate. Have you made your mind up yet? If you’re ready to take on this excitement get your stand mixer ready and your peanut butter at hand.. Ready set go!

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups Flour
3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Sour Cream
2 tbsp Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 stick Butter (8 tbsp) – room temperature
1 1/2 cups Sugar
2 Eggs

Peanut Butter Ball Filling:

1 cup Powdered Sugar
3/4 cup Peanut Butter – creamy
4 tbsp Butter – room temperature
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Note: It’s best to make the peanut butter balls before the cupcake batter. I prefer making them the night before and refrigerate them overnight. Less dishes to wash!

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 8-ounce package Cream Cheese – room temperature
1 stick Butter – room temperature
1/2-3/4 cup Peanut Butter
3-4 cups Powdered Sugar

Note: Depending how peanut buttery you want your frosting you can add 1/2-3/4 of a cup to your frosting! I added about 3/4 cup.

Directions:

Peanut Butter Ball Filling:

1. In electric mixer combine flour, powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla and beat on medium speed.

Note: Make sure mixture is well combined before rolling into balls.

2. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls and set aside on baking sheet or parchment paper.

Chocolate Cake:

1. Set oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans. Makes about 18-20 cupcakes.

2. In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk and set aside.

3. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, stir together sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

4. In electric mixture beat butter and sugar on medium/high speed until fluffy.

5. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Make sure to scrap down sides.

6. Begin adding flour mixture and sour cream mixture alternatively into electric mixture with butter/sugar combination. Make sure you begin and end with flour mixture.

7. Once batter is combined begin adding a generous tablespoon of the chocolate cake mixture to cupcake cups. Place a peanut butter ball in each cupcake and top with cupcake mixture. Fill about 2/3 full.

8. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing. Make sure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In electric mixer beat cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter on medium/high speed until smooth.

2. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and continue to mix on medium speed.

3. Once smooth and creamy begin frosting your cupcakes!!

Enjoy this brilliantly tasty cupcake! You’ll be ready for the next!

Oh! Don’t worry about that post-cupcake workout. Ani has that covered for you!

– Bayley & Ani