Friday, April 29, 2011

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting



According to a jar of amazingly delicious peanut butter that we were gifted by a friend who had just returned from Cordoba (the province right next to ours), Hernando, Cordoba is the nation's peanut capital. If you ever see a jar of "La Campiña" you should grab it, and a spoon, and go. to. town.


This jar of peanuty goodness inspired me to bake peanut butter cupcakes. And a jar of Nutella inspired the frosting for such. Sometimes, brilliance awaits you in your cupboard. The peanut flavor of the cupcakes is perfect, almost (not quite but almost) overwhelming the Nutella. And they're a bit more dense than a light and fluffy cake. I busted out a spoon to finish one off. I would suggest making these as mini cupcakes - thus having a more equal ratio of peanut to Nutella flavor. Or, making them as smaller cupcakes - I filled about 1/2 - 2/3 full, so this could be reduced.


Another way to boost Nutella flavor, while cutting into the density of the cake, would be to scoop out a bit of the middle and fill with Nutella. Or double the amount of frosting that I made. Whatever your poison. Or cupcake pan size.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes
from Liv Life
  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar 
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 42 grams / 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1/4 cup milk
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt - set aside. Beat brown sugar*, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla until blended (4-5 minutes). Add the egg and egg white, beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in a few additions, alternating with the milk - beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until combined. 

Spoon batter into 10-12 muffin cups (I would say to aim for 12). Bake at 180C/350F for 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. 

*I used part (about 1/4 c.) white sugar, as I'm quite stingy with my smuggled-in brown sugar


Nutella Frosting
from Good Life eats (I made half of the recipe, as follows)
  • 85 grams / 3 ounces cream cheese (Finlandia), at room temperature
  • 14 grams / 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup Nutella
  • 1 3/4 - 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream butter and cream cheese. Add Nutella and vanilla and continue to cream. Slowly incorporate powdered sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat on high until fluffy and smooth.