Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe

1. Prepare 24 baking cups with paper baking liners. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt until combined. Then in an additional separate bowl, stir together buttermilk and coffee.

4. Add dry ingredients to creamed butter mixture alternately with buttermilk and coffee, beating well after each addition.

5. Fill baking cups with batter on top of the peanut butter cups until they are nearly ⅔ full, then nestle a peanut butter cup in on top of the batter.

6. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

7. Top with peanut butter frosting then drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired.

Peanut Butter Frosting:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat peanut butter, butter and vanilla together on medium speed until combined and smooth. Add remaining ingredients and beat on low speed until incorporated.

2. Then beat on medium-high speed for 1 more minute until smooth and fluffy.