Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes

WOW!! I am shocked that these PB&J Cupcakes taste SO SO SO good!! It's a peanut butter and jelly chocolate dessert heaven! My husband is helping me quickly scarf these down - so I know they are as good as gluten!

When I was traveling last week for my Oprah trip I came across a recipe in an airline magazine for PB&J Brownies. The chef, James Boyce, accidentally came up with the hit recipe by placing a brownie on a sheet of phyllo dough, topping the brownie with peanut butter, strawberry jam, and chocolate chips, and then wrapping it up and baking. Seeing his recipe was my inspiration for Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes. I think this recipe would be equally as good as a brownie batter cupcake.

Ingredients:
·1 recipe of your favorite chocolate cupcake batter or brownie batter (I slightly modified my GF blogger adoption Black Bean Cupcake recipe - see below)
·Homemade strawberry jam (about ½ cup)
·¼ cup peanut butter
·1 cup powdered sugar
·1 TBS milk
·¼ tsp vanilla
·2 oz cream cheese

Directions:
Follow the recipe for your favorite chocolate cupcake or brownie recipe. Preheat oven according to your recipe. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Fill muffin cups ¼ of the way up with cupcake batter. Then, add a spoonful (about ½ TBS) of jam into the center of the cupcake batter.

Finish filling the muffin cups with cupcake batter until muffin tins are filled about ¾ of the way up. Bake according to cupcake recipe directions.

Meanwhile, mix peanut butter, milk, and cream cheese. Slowly beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Adjust ingredients to get the right frosting texture and flavor you desire. Stir in vanilla. Frost PB&J cupcakes once cool.

Here's the center of my PB&J Cupcakes! I added way too much strawberry jam into some (about 1-2 TBS), which requires us to use a spoon to eat. Still delicious, nonetheless!

Black Bean Cupcakes Recipe

Adapted slightly from 18 Hour Kitchen

Ingredients:

·1 ½ cups canned black beans

·3 eggs, separated

·1 TBS vanilla

·¾ cup sugar

·¼ cup cocoa powder

·½ tsp baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350˚. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In a blender, puree black beans, egg yolks, and vanilla until completely smooth. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until fluffy. In a medium brown, mix sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add in black bean puree. Beat on low (or whisk) until all ingredients are completely combined. Fold in egg whites.

Pour into muffin tins filling about ¾ of the way up. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Frost with your favorite frosting. Makes 12 cupcakes.

I've also shared this recipe on: Seasonal Sundays