{Singing} It’s peanut butter jelly time! It’s peanut butter jelly time! No baseball bat, only my third installment of delicious cupcakes in my March Madness Sweet Six Series.

I chose these cupcakes because who doesn’t like a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich?  When you’re hungry, PB&J’s hit the spot every time, and it’s because of this I wanted to make sure these cupcakes tasted just like the classic sandwich. I was a little worried that the peanut butter would make the cupcakes dry, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results. So was Jaime, a friend, and peanut butter connoisseur, who I commissioned to be my taste tester.  These cupcakes passed her test, and I hope they’ll pass yours.  Enjoy, after all, “IT’S PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME!”

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Cook Time: 1 Hour – 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Servings: About 18 Cupcakes

Ingredients (It’s Commentary Time! It’s Commentary Time! I Had to Do It 😉 )

Peanut Butter Cupcakes:

1 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour – sifted

3/4 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1/4  Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt – I used Kosher Salt

1 1/2 Sticks (6 Ounces) Unsalted Butter – at room temperature

1 Cup of Regular Sugar

1/3 Cup of Light Brown Sugar – I was running low on sugar, so I substituted the light brown sugar, if you do not have light brown sugar, use another 1/3 cup of regular sugar.

3/4 Cup of Natural, Creamy Peanut Butter

3 Large Eggs – at room temperature

1/2 Cup of Sour Cream – Close to room temperature, and you can use the same measuring utensil as the sugar, you don’t have to use a liquid measuring cup.

1/2 Teaspoon Butter Flavor – If you don’t have butter flavor, you can use vanilla extract

Peanut Butter and Jelly Frosting

8 Ounces of Cream Cheese – Close to room temperature

1/3 Cup Confectioners’ Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter – Martha recommends to use non natural peanut butter but that’s all I had so I think natural peanut butter still works just fine.

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

Your favorite strawberry jam, or if you like grape you can use that too.

Whip heavy cream with a whisk until thick and foamy.  Set aside. In a mixer, beat cream cheese and confection sugar on medium speed.  Add salt, and peanut butter.  Then fold in the whipped heavy cream.  In a large piping bag, add the peanut butter frosting to one side, and the jelly on the other, side by side vertically.  You will get this effect:

For Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease muffin pans. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda, in a medium bowl and set aside. These are your dry ingredients. In a mixer cream butter and sugar for 5-7 minutes on medium speed.  Add eggs one at a time, and beat thoroughly after each.  Add sour cream, peanut butter and butter flavor. Turn mixer down to a stir, and add the sifted dry ingredients.  Divide the batter, and bake for 15-20 minutes.  If when you insert a toothpick into the center of the cupcake, and it comes out clean with no batter then they are ready to come out of the oven (but that will probably be between 15-20 minutes).  Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, and then wrap in plastic wrap and place on a rack to cool.

Once cool, you can top with PB&J Frosting.  If you do not serve immediately you can cover and place in the fridge, but make sure you bring the cupcakes back to room temperature before serving.

Tags: Baking, Butter, Comfort Food, Cooking, Cream Cheese Frosting, Culture, Cupcakes, Dessert, Easy, Eggs, Flour, Food, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Photo, Photography, Strawberry Jelly