Tender, supersoft peanut butter cupcakes made in one bowl topped with a chocolate peanut butter icing.
Somehow I, a self-declared obsessive buttercream lover, decided against it for these peanut butter cupcakes. I wanted the cupcake portion to really take front and center here as it has been a recipe I’ve worked on very tediously for the better part of the first half of this year. I wanted the cake to be predominately peanut butter tasting but also wanting to get the texture *just* so: incredibly tender and fluffy.
Of course, should you decide to use a buttercream I won’t object (and have suggestions) but do know that topped with just a thin layer of chocolate peanut butter icing, these are truly a treat.
Peanut butter: Creamy, standard commercial peanut butter.
Butter: Unsalted (this is important! If you are using salted butter omit the salt from the recipe, considering that your peanut butter will also already be salted) and softened.
Brown sugar: Either light or dark will do.
Buttermilk or kefir: The tang and creaminess of either of these will give the cupcakes a lovely, softer texture. If you need to substitute, thin out some yogurt with water.
Eggs: One whole and one yolk. With the leftover egg white you can make these cookies.
Cake Flour: This gives the cupcakes a much more tender, softer crumb because of the fine mill of cake flour and the added starch. If you need to sub, after you measure the flour remove 1 tablespoon of it and add in cornstarch or tapioca starch.
Salt: Fine sea salt. If you are using coarse kosher salt, make the teaspoon scant.
Most recipes are designed around your standard commercial peanut butter like a creamy Skippy’s or JIF. This peanut butter cupcake recipe is no exception. Whatever brand you have it’s best if it isn’t the natural kind that has separated with a layer of oil on top.
Those little nuts can take up the space of some of the oil we want in the batter so instead I’d use creamy but add chopped peanuts if you want that addition.
Yeup!
Yes it will make one 9” round cake or a snacking cake made in a 8 or 9” square pan.
Cashew butter, the kind that hasn’t separated much in the jar will work well. So would a sun butter. Almond butter is trickier but if you have a variety that is well mixed and has the consistency of standard store-bought peanut butter it could work as well.
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