Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

These cupcakes were so ridiculously good...they're decadent, but not so rich that you can't eat more than one per sitting, which is a good thing, depending on who you ask :) 

I got the recipe from a blog I stumbled across called Joy the Baker.  You should check out her blog--she takes gorgeous pictures that I tried to model my pictures on, but, alas, her pictures are far superior to mine.  

Without further ado, the recipe follows...

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 c. sugar

1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 T. vanilla extract

2/3 c. canola oil

2 t. white vinegar

2 c. cold water

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F and line cupcake pan with liners.

2.  Shift the dry ingredient together and set aside.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, water, vanilla, and vinegar.

4.  Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Do NOT overmix!  The mixture will be wet.

5.  Pour the batter until the cups are 2/3 full and bake for 20-24 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cup comes out clean.

For the Frosting:

1.  1 c. (2 sticks) of unsalted butter at room temperature.

2.  1 c. of creamy peanut butter.

3.  3-4 c. of powdered sugar, depending on how thick you like your frosting.

4.  1 T. of milk.

Directions for Frosting:

1.  Beat butter and peanut butter together until smooth.

2.  Add 3 c. of powdered sugar and beat on low for 1 minute.

3.  Add milk and beat on medium-high for 1 minute.

4.  If you want, add the 1 other cup of powdered sugar.

5.  Decorate cupcakes and top with chopped peanut butter cups...Enjoy