Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Salted Peanut Butter Frosting

This post serves two fold; part of Food is Love Winter Revolt Party and Valentines day. I can not think of a better way to end a nice summer meal than with a cupcake! Imagine having a summer time picnic and these are put out on the picnic table! I think I would head right to these! Visit Food is Love Summer Revolt at this link:  Winter Revolt Party

Valentines day. No other holiday shows our celebration of love as does that one single day. It is unfortunate that English only has one word for Love,. Agape, Amore...so many words used in other languages to express love..... To me Love is expressed in all the little things we do to show that person just how much we care. I will not go into my definition, but to make something for someone that mean so much to you, from your heart is priceless.

Bake these for a loved one, if they don't appreciate the love and hard work you put into to them...shame on them...To Cook with Love...how many people can say they have ate food cooked with love?  I cook with love everyday and hope you can all see the love I put into these for you :)

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter (I use Jiff...my favorite!)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 1/2  teaspoons of Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste
1/2 cup milk

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper cupcake liners. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer  fitted with a paddle attachment, set to medium, beat the butter, peanut butter and sugars until smoothly blended about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Mix in the egg. Add the vanilla and beat for 1 minute, or until the batter is smooth. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing just until the flour is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.

Fill each paper liner with a  1/4 cup of batter, to about 1/3 inch below the top of the liner. Bake just until the tops feel firm and are lightly browned, about 20-22 minutes. Check by inserting tooth pick in center of cupcake, it should come out clean.  Carefully remove cupcakes from pan and cool on wire rack... frost when completely cooled. 

Salted Peanut Butter Frosting

1 1/12  cups confectioners’ sugar( add more if needed)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.Put into Pastry bag to frost cupcakes, garnish cupcakes with fresh ground sea salt.