Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes
CATEGORIES
INGREDIENTS
  • Cooking Time: 18-20 minutes
  • Servings: 18
  • Preparation Time: 1 hour
  • Filling: 1 cup strawberry, blueberry, or grape preserves
  • Crust: 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • 3 c. all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbls. sugar
  • 1/3 c. very cold shortening
  • 1/2 c. cold water
  • Cake: 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3/4 c. buttermilk
  • Frosting: 1 c. peanut butter
  • 6 Tbls. unsalted butter at room temperature
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 c. confectioners sugar
  • 1/2 c. cream
DIRECTIONS
  1. Grease muffin tins with butter and dust with flour.
  2. Prepare crust. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar until combined.
  3. Add cold butter and pulse a few times until the butter resembles small peas. With the processor turned on, add the cold water a Tbls. at a time, until the dough forms a ball.
  4. Dump the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and knead into a ball.
  5. Wrap tightly in the wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
  6. Once chilled, slice dough ball in half and return one half to the refrigerator. On a floured board, roll the other half into a 1/4 inch thickness.
  7. Cut rounds using a biscuit cutter and press into prepared muffin tins.
  8. Repeat with the remaining dough.
  9. In a small bowl, stir the jam until smooth.
  10. Spoon a generous teaspoon into the center of each muffin cup. Set aside.
  11. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  12. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  13. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar using a mixer.
  14. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
  15. Add flour mixture and milk gradually, alternating between additions and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  16. Pour batter into muffin cups, leaving 1/4 inch space from the top. This should be just enough to cover the jam.
  17. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until cakes are just golden.
  18. Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pans before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  19. Prepare the frosting. Beat butter and peanut butter at medium speed until combined.
  20. Add vanilla, salt and sugar and beat until fluffy.
  21. Add cream and continue beating until pale and fluffy.
  22. Frost each cupcake and top with sprinkles if desired.