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Servings 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ⅔ cup unsalted butter 1 1/3 sticks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup milk

For the Frosting:

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk any kind should work
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Cupcakes:

  1. Heat the oven to 350° F and line 18 cupcake pan cups with liners. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder and set aside. Use a standing mixer or hand-mixer to cream the butter. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each one until smooth.

  2. On the lowest speed, alternately add the dry ingredients in three additions and the milk in two. Beat only until smooth and fully combined, you don’t want to overwork the batter.
  3. Scoop the batter into the prepared pans filling each about two-thirds full. Bake the cupcakes for about 25 minutes, or until the tops are puffed and spring back when lightly pressed. Be careful not to overbake the cakes, but know that if you take them out too early they may sink a bit. Cool the cakes in the muffin tins for about 5 minutes and then remove them to a rack and let cool completely.

For the Frosting:

  1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and peanut butter. Gradually add in the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth. Put the frosting in a piping bag and swirl onto the cooled cupcakes.