Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes
YIELD: approximately 24 cupcakes or 48 mini-cupcakes
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CAKE
2 1/4 cups cake flour (I used all-purpose flour since I didn’t have cake flour on hand)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature (this helps it to not curdle)
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM
Ingredients
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6-8 tablespoons heavy cream (if using milk, amount will be less)
FOR THE FILLING:
Jelly or Jam in your favorite flavor(s)
DIRECTIONS:
FOR THE CAKE
Getting Ready:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, with rack in center. Line cupcake tins with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites until creamy.
3. Place the sugar and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes or until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the vanilla, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the buttermilk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Using a large scoop (about 3 tablespoons), distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells, filling each well 2/3 full.
4. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the centers come out clean. Cool on wire rack.
5. Once cupcakes have cooled, create a hole to pipe in filling or hollow out. Fill the center of each cupcake with a dollop of jelly or jam in your favorite flavor.
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and peanut butter on medium speed until fluffy. Turn your mixer down to low speed and slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar (yes, all 2 pounds!), and continue mixing until well blended.
2. Add vanilla and 4 tablespoons of heavy cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 1 to 4 tablespoons of heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency. 6 seemed to be the magic number. Then beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy.
3. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and garnish tops with a dollop of jelly or jam.
NOTES:
– Frosting was piped onto cupcakes using the large round tip from Wilton.
– Cupcakes will store in a sealed container within the refrigerator for up to four days.
Source: mybakingaddiction.com/peanut-butter-and-jelly-cupcakes/