PB and J Cupcakes

I am not quite sure how to get this across, but I am seriously in love with Peanut Butter and Jam. Like, a lot. A LOT A LOT.

Whenever I see PB and J anything, I am all over it. It is the epitome of childhood comfort food! I love PB and J so much... I made it a starring role in one of my final projects in college this past year. Homework can't get much cooler than that, am I right?

The best part was that our class was having a potluck on our last day of school. I think potluck is one of my favourite words, because it means: I get to cook something! And I knew that whatever I made had to match my PB and J project that I was handing in, obviously. Matching your projects is very important.

It has been a while since we had this potluck... but it's never to late for a little PB & J I always say.

I had seen this recipe in this book a long time ago, and had filed it away in my "To Bake" list in my head (a list that forever grows longer and longer). And what better time to bake a batch of Peanut Butter and Jam cupcakes? No better time! Well, to be honest, it is hard to find a bad time to make these. They are darn cute, and ever so tasty. I might even have to say they taste better than they look. Which is perfectly okay with me.

Here are some pictures of my final project I created: A PB and J Recipe Book! (That is actually a pillow. Yes, Art School is the best.)

Pillow book!

Opens up...

Instructions, illustrated. To make simple things even simpler.

Peanut Butter and Jam. The best love story I know!

PB and J Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Some notes: Depending on your preference/what happens to be in the fridge at the time, you could use sour cream in place of the greek yogurt. I did not have any roasted peanuts on hand, but if you do, chop them up and fold them in at then end for a lovely crunch! My favourite peanut butter is the all natural chunky kind, so this is what I used. But you could really use whatever you like or have on hand!

You will need:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup chunky natural peanut butter
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar. Mix in the peanut butter until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed just until everything is incorporated. Mix in the vanilla. Gradually add in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the greek yogurt.

Divide the batter evenly among paper lined muffin tins, and bake at 375 for 20-22 minutes if you are making regular sized cupcakes, or for 13-15 minutes if you are making mini cupcakes.

Cool completely before frosting with Peanut Butter Frosting!

For the Frosting:

• 6 ounces cream cheese
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Cream the cream cheese together with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the salt and the peanut butter and beat to combine. Mix in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk the cream to medium peaks, then the the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture.

Notes for the Frosting: Although I mentioned for the cupcake batter that you could use whatever peanut butter you desired, I feel fairly strongly that this frosting really requires the peanut butter to be of a creamy nature, not chunky. Unless of course you like the funk. Using creamy peanut butter makes this into the silkiest peanut butter frosting... just when you thought peanut butter couldn't get any more delicious and addictive... Sorry.

Assembly time!

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip with the creamy frosting, and pipe a pretty swirl atop each cooled cupcake. Make a small indent in the top of the swirl where the raspberry jam will sit. I found this easiest to do by dipping my finger in a little water before each one, then the frosting doesn't stick to your finger. Using a small spoon, scoop a little raspberry jam and dollop on the tops of each cupcake. 

Now you have a load of delicious and creamy peanut butter cupcakes, adorned with a sparkling ruby of raspberry jam.

It's all the wonders of childhood... but better... and with more sugar :)

Happy PB and J - ing!

<3 Lari

Peaches and Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast

Mmmm... French Toast. One of the best breakfast foods out there. Everybody has "their way" to eat French Toast. I used to be very stuck in "my way", until a dear friend of mine introduced me to A NEW WAY. Gasp.

I grew up eating french toast with nothing but a massive mound of icing sugar plopped on top. No, I can't even say dusted or sprinkled... it was a real life mound or powdery goodness. I can't believe my mother let me put that much sugar on. But it was the best way!
I (obviously) think of French Toast as being a sweet dish, as opposed to savoury. I think that many people do too, however not my Ma. She thinks that French Toast should be savoury, not sweet! How bizzare! How not fun. She puts salt and pepper on her French Toast... which still baffles me to this day.
What baffles me more is that my Pa DOESN'T EVEN LIKE FRENCH TOAST.
Why family?! Why?! At least my brother knows what's up about icing sugar too. Two people have got it right.

Oh yeah, the new way! So, friend tells me his way to eat French Toast is with Peanut Butter and Syrup (Aunt Jemima's brand is ideal). Or, if they're available, PB+Syrup and fresh peaches.
When I first heard this, I thought, eww weird. Then I tried it and life changed forever. Now I have noticed that my powdered sugar policy is a thing of the past, and peanut butter is my new present. Try it, you may just fall in love.

In da pan.

One of my most favourite (in fact, probably my favourite) blogs, A Beautiful Mess, featured a post about Peaches and Cream Stuffed French Toast. This totally made me think "Yes, I do want to make Stuffed French Toast" as it is something I have not yet done. I adapted the recipe to use peanut butter instead of cream cheese because HOLY GOODNESS do I love me some peanut butter. And it being my "New Way" to eat French Toast, it just makes sense.

 Peaches and Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast

Recipe adapted from A Beautiful Mess

Makes two sandwiches

• 4 slices french bread
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 peach, sliced
• peanut butter
• butter for the pan

In a shallow dish, whisk together egg, vanilla, cinnamon and milk. Heat a pan on medium high heat with a bit of butter in the bottom. Spread peanut butter on one side of two of the bread slices. Dip the non-peanut butter side into the egg mixture, then place in the hot pan eggy-side down. Place peach slices on top of the two slices of bread in the pan. Meanwhile, spread peanut butter on one side of each of the other two slices. Dip the non-peanut butter side in the egg. Place this top slice (eggy-side up this time) atop your peach covered slice in the pan. When the bottom of the sandwich is nicely browned, turn the whole shebang over and cook on the other side.
Serve with more peach slices on top, and a generous drizzle of syrup. YUM in the tum.

What is your way to eat French Toast? Maybe I will discover a new one :)

<3 Lari