{Day Four} 12 Days of Cupcakes - Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Frosting

These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes tastes like little Reese's peanut butter cups - they are SO GOOD!  I added little crunchy toffee bits to mine but you might want to add a peanut butter cup, mini Nutter Butter or a bite size peanut butter cookie to yours.

I am sharing a simple and easy chocolate cake recipe and an even easier Peanut Butter Frosting with you.  It's so easy you can even mix it by hand - which is something I never do - but that is because most of my recipes call for creaming together butter and sugar.....this recipe can be made all in one bowl and bakes up fluffy and moist!  The Peanut Butter frosting is smooth and creamy and really just melts in your mouth.

Chocolate Cupcakes

To Make:
3/4 cup cocoa powder*
1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt
2 Large Eggs (slightly beaten)
3/4 Cup Water (room temperature)
1/2 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 Stick Melted Butter (Cooled to room temperature)

To Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.

2. Whisk together in a bowl, cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder & salt.

3. Add in eggs, water, milk sour cream, vanilla and butter.

4. Whisk ingredients together until well blended - about 3 minutes, be sure to scrape down sides.

5. Pour batter into liners 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes.  Cupcakes are done when centers spring back or a toothpick inserted in the centers come out clean.

6.  Allow cupcakes to cook in pan for 5 minutes then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

* I like Hershey's Cocoa powder because it's the easiest stuff to find...however, if you come across a really good powder like Callebaut or Sharffen Berger chocolate try them out.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/3 Cup Peanut Butter
4 1/2 Cups Confetioner's Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. Vanilla

1.  Mix Peanut Butter until light and fluffy. 

2.  Add two cups confectioner's sugar - mix on low until well combined; add milk and vanilla until combined.

3.  Gradually add in the remaining confectioner's sugar; add extra milk if necessary to get desired consistency.