Death by Peanut Butter

I love birthdays, even if they are not my own. I just enjoy celebrating someones life and the more you have the better! My daddy (aka Father of the Year) has a birthday coming up this Saturday. One of my awesome co-workers also had a birthday this week. So naturally, I decided to make them something that I've been craving for months now...chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter icing.

My old boss used to make them for important meetings and birthdays and they were TO DIE FOR. Ever since I left, I've been craving them so bad. Its not one of those things you can have often, just once every 5 or 6 months but they are so good.

First things first. I do not cook and I definitely don't bake. I was definetely worried that these would end up tasting like a peanut butter and poop sandwich. Tasty...NOT


Don't worry...this isn't mine!

I asked around the office to find out how difficult making homemade peanut butter icing would be. I'm not a fan of icing from the jar (unless I have to), but I can make a mean box cake so I wasn't worried about that part. I found out that its not that difficult and any googled recipe should be fairly easy. I also learned a trade secret. If you add a box of pudding mix to the boxed cake mix, it ensures that the cake will turn out extra moist.

I started off making the basic Betty Crocker chocolate box cake. Easy enough. I throw the pudding mix in too. It changed the consistency of the mix a little bit, but other than that it was fine. (in hindsight, I really wish I had taken some pictures)

While the cupcakes were baking, I worked on the peanut butter icing. Here is the recipe I used:

Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
3 tbsp milk, or as needed
2 cups confectioners' or icing sugar

Beat butter and peanut butter in an electric mixer. Slowly mix in the sugar, and when it thickens and gets dry, add the milk a little at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy

I had to double the recipe because I was making double the amount of cupcakes. It was nearly impossible to sit there and mix that icing without wanting to stick my entire face in it.



That reminds me of the summer we watched Mrs. Doubtfire every rainy day because my younger cousing was OBSESSED!

Once the cupcakes were ready I let them cool, while simultaneously licking the spatula (and dancing to immediately burn those calories ofcourse) and then worked on icing them. It didn't look professional but it was good enough for me. I made and iced 42 cupcakes...and only ate 1 (not counting the cake batter and icing that I ate out the bowl...)

This is the finished product!

They didn't all turn out that pretty, but those ones can go in my dad's batch because he could care less about how they look! Ofcourse I had to try one of my creations (before handing them out and embarassing myself). It was DELICIOIUS. It was very rich and moist and I'm glad that I had some milk handy to wash it down...I don't even like milk!

I'm very proud of myself...maybe I'll quit my job and become a full time baker...NOT!