Peanut Butter & Jam Cupcakes

Yes, you read right. The ultimate in childhood sandwich fillings has been morphed into a cupcake and what a cupcake it is. Peanut butter flavoured cake surrounds a hidden gooey raspberry jam core, which is not only topped with peanut butter icing, but fruit goo and peanut butter crumble, because, well, why not? In my eyes, you can never have too much peanut butter.

This recipe is all down to the legendary Cupcake Jemma of Crumbs & Doillies. Jemma has teamed up with Jamie Oliver’s Food Tube and created 50 drool-inducing cupcake recipes for all seasons, ranging from the basics such as red velvet cupcakes, to a hot toddy cupcake (which appealed to the Scot within me) and a fireworks cupcake - ooeee.

However, within 24 hours of receiving Jemma’s Cake Book I just had to make these PB&J beauties, and wow, did they not disappoint! I think they are the best cupcakes I have ever made.

In my humble opinion the best bit about this cake is the peanut butter icing. Jemma says to beat the butter, peanut butter and icing for a good 5-8 minutes. This seemed a long time to me, but it made the butter icing really smooth and creamy. Then she adds a few tablespoons of milk to lighten the icing, which makes it really fluffy. Smooth, creamy and fluffy icing which I have never achieved to this extent before, all down to these two small tips. Simples.

So, why not try these for yourself. If you’re grinning from ear-to-ear while you munch on this beaut,which I’m sure you will be, you can click here to purchase her book.

Becks xxx

Ingredients & Method taken from The Cake Book. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes

• 250 g self-raising flour
• 250 g caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 270 g unsalted butter, softened
• 4 large free-range eggs

For the peanut crumb

• 100 g peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• ¾ X 340 g jar of quality seedless raspberry jam
• 100 g peanut butter
• 100 g icing sugar

For the buttercream icing

• 300 g unsalted butter, softened
• 120 g peanut butter
• 540 g icing sugar
• 4 tablespoons whole milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan/375°F/gas 5. Sift the dry cupcake ingredients and 1 pinch of fine sea salt into a large bowl, add the butter, eggs and peanut butter, then beat for 60 seconds with an electric mixer. Tip: You can use crunchy or smooth peanut butter, I chose to use smooth
2.  Pour in the milk and whisk for 20 seconds, or until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then give the mix a final blast for 30 seconds to make sure it's all incorporated
3.  Fill the paper cases two-thirds full with mixture, but don't bother to smooth it out. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they spring back when touched. Leave to cool slightly, transferring to a wire cooling rack after 5 minutes
4.  Meanwhile, make the peanut crumb. Place the peanut butter in a food processor, sift in the icing sugar and whiz for 1 to 2 minutes to make small, delicious crumbs, then set aside
5.  For the icing, beat the butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer for 5 to 6 minutes, or until pale and fluffy – smooth peanut butter will probably be better if you want a smooth butter icing
6. Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl, then add to the butter in two stages, beating well between each. Pour in the milk and beat for a further 3 to 5 minutes, or until well combined
7. Once the cupcakes are cool, poke a hole into the middle of each with a chopstick, twist to widen the hole, then use a piping bag to fill each one with a good squeeze of jam (I used raspberry jam, but you could use strawberry or blackcurrant, whatever works for you)
8.  Decorate with the icing, top with a blob of jam, if you like, and a sprinkling of peanut crumb to finish, then enjoy.