Ingredients
- For the cupcakes:
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- For the frosting:
- 6 ounce(s) cream cheese
- 1/3 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
- 1 cup(s) creamy peanut butter (not natural)
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup(s) heavy cream
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and then add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
Reduce speed to low. Combine sour cream and vanilla in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour-cream mixture and ending with dry. Scrape sides of bowl. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Once cupcakes are cool, frost tops with Peanut Butter Frosting. Place a dollop of grape or strawberry jam in center of frosting. Decorated cupcakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days.
For the frosting:
Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar with a mixer on medium speed. Add salt, then peanut butter, then vanilla. Whisk cream 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.)