suemunzlinger's Recipe

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

Category: Cupcakes

For the Cake
2 1/4 cups c ake flour (I used Swans Down brand. You can make your own cake flour but with these cupcakes, Swans Down works)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature
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

Directions:
For the Cake

Center a rack in the oven to 350 degrees Line cupcake pans with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites.

Place the sugar and butter into the bowl of a mixer, or with a hand mixer and beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, 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 well
then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed
Using a large scoop (about 3 tablespoons), put the the batter in 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, hollow out a small circle in the center of each cupcake( you can use an apple corer or just cut out a cone shape hole with small knife) Fill the center of each cupcake with a dollop of jelly or jam in your favorite flavor.

For the Peanut Butter Buttercream
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer , cream butter and peanut butter on medium speed until fluffy.
Turn your mixer down to low speed and very slowly add in the confectioners sugar, 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. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy. (Heavy cream is worth the extra instead of using milk)

3. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and finish with a dollop of jelly or jam.