Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

I was contacted by a lovely blog reader a few weeks ago. She had a special request that I am excited to help her with. She told me that she had a fantastic recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes, that she normally doesn’t give out! Her request? Could I please adapt them to be gluten-free? Well, she totally had me at peanut butter cup.  That…and the fact that she was willing to share her top secret recipe! Why does she need to adapt this recipe to be gluten-free? Her cousin, whom she is very close to, recently needed to go gluten-free and loves her peanut butter cup cupcakes. She wants to make sure that he is still able to enjoy her cupcakes…sweet, no?

This is the original recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes. I can absolutely understand why the are a favorite recipe…yum! They are so full of peanut butter. Peanut butter in the cake, peanut butter in the frosting, and that delicious peanut butter cup! If you like peanut butter, you will love these.

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 24 chocolate covered peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 (12 cup) muffin pans with paper liners. In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, brown sugar, sugar, and peanut butter at medium speed until fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed with a mixture until stiff peaks form, gently fold beaten egg whites into butter mixture. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Place 1 chocolate covered peanut butter cup in center of each muffin cup, pressing down until edges of peanut butter cup are even with cupcake batter. Bake for 15-20 min or until edges of cupcakes are golden brown, let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread, or pipe, creamy peanut butter frosting over cupcakes.

Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 cups confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Add milk and vanilla, beating until combined. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth.

Coming soon…the gluten free version!!