Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Let's cut to the chase, shall we?

Working from the bottom up, we've got a chocolate cupcake with peanut butter filling. It's topped with a whipped cream frosting, melted peanut butter, hot fudge, and chopped nuts.

And ZOMG is it good.

This kid hasn't learned how to hide her emotions yet, so when she took her first bite out of one of the cupcakes, she literally groaned with happiness.

Which, THAT is how you tell your mom "thanks" for giving you a cupcake. It was pretty much the best.

These cupcakes are a rendition of an old favorite. They got a peanut butter twist because a good idea is a good idea. Also, there's no reason for me to ever find another way to make a basic chocolate cupcake. I'm entirely too happy with this version.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Peanut Butter Filling
1 cup creamy peanut butter (Skippy works well)
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Chocolate Cupcake Batter
3 cups flour
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
2/3 cups vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar (yes, really)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Frosting
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream (you can buy the small carton, use the 2 tablespoons in the filling, and use the remainder here, even though it's not quite a full cup)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peanut butter
Hot fudge
Chopped nuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and throw cupcake liners in two pans. You're making 24 cupcakes.

2. To make the filling, mix together the peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Set aside.

3. Place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir it all up with a whisk.

4. Add the water, butter, vinegar, and vanilla. Stir with a fork until the chunks are gone. It took me about two minutes.

5. Place the chocolate cupcake mix in your cupcake liners, filling each one about 3/4 of the way.

6. Carefully add some peanut butter filling on top of the chocolate cupcakes.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes.

8. While the baking is happening, make your frosting. Throw the cream cheese, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla into a bowl and mix at high speed until well-blended. It should form peaks.

9. Once the cupcakes are done baking, place them on a cooling rack until they are cool to the touch. Then it's time to frost them. So do that.

10. And now for the best part -- melt a few tablespoons of peanut butter in a small storage bag. It should only take about 15 seconds. Cut a corner off the bag and then squeeze the peanut butter across the top of the cupcakes.

11. Repeat that with some hot fudge.

12. Garnish with some chopped nuts.

13. Alexis says this frosting tastes like ice cream, except better. Feel free to test that theory often.