Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter-Cream Frosting

This was my first attempt, ever, at making cupcakes from scratch. They came out pretty good.  Or so my family tells me.  Just wanted to share.

My darling daughter helped me make and frost them.  She was very excited about the cool baking cups my friend Frank gave me yesterday.  Today we used the leopard-print cups.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cupcakes

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 1 1/4 cups 2% milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  If desired, line cupcake pans with paper liners.  You may also spray cupcake pans with a butter and flour combination spray that can be found in your local grocery store. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Mix at low-speed for 30 seconds while scraping bowl.  Mix at high speed for 3 minutes, scraping bowl every minute. Spoon cupcake batter into liners until they are 1/2 to 2/3 full (I used an ice-cream scoop).  You should have enough batter for 24 cupcakes. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter-Cream Frosting

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and mix on high-speed until smooth and creamy.  Makes enough for 24 + cupcakes.

P.S. I tasted a forkful of one.  This frosting is excellent.