Birthday Cupcakes, Part 1: Peanut-Butter Cupcakes

What could be better than the age-old peanut butter and chocolate combination? Nothing, in my opinion. For my birthday, I made a gorgeous set of mouth-watering pb cupcakes to be frosted later. One or two cupcakes may have been accidentally lost to a fatal mouthing prior to the frosting stage, but we're not here to point fingers.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

1-1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup), room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (your favorite variety)
1-3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350º and line two pans of cupcake tins with paper liners (24 regular-sized cups or 12 large cups).

Cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugar until smooth and light. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the batter in two parts, mixing completely each time. Last, pour in the milk, and fold lightly until combined.

Divide the batter between cups, about 1/4 cup per cupcake, so each hold is about 3/4s full. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until browned on the edges and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

**Cute decorating idea tomorrow from my birthday gift: the adorable Hello Cupcake book!**