Peanut Butter Cupcakes
These cupcakes are tasty and easy to make. I topped them with chocolate frosting this time, but I have also used a vanilla buttercream and a peanut butter frosting. We made them in class recently. Everyone liked them. If you want to go for a peanut butter and jelly vibe, you can use a piping bag to add jelly or jam to baked cupcakes before frosting. You can also cut some of the cupcake out and spoon in jelly.
Below is the recipe and some frosting recipes you might want to use. Enjoy.
Peanut Butter Cupcakes
1½ c. brown sugar
½ c. butter, softened
1 c. peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 pinch salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners, or grease and flour cups. In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups, filling half full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 30-36.
I like to frost, then top with fine chopped peanuts. When using chocolate frosting, I sometimes also top with mini chocolate chips.
Easy Chocolate Butter Cream
6 T. butter, softened
1/3 – 3/4 c. cocoa, depending on how dark you want your frosting.
2 2/3 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
Cream butter. Combine cocoa and sugar. Beat cocoa mixture in alternately with the milk until frosting is spreading consistency. Beat in vanilla. You may need an additional tablespoon of milk. Makes about 2 cups.
Super Fluffy Frosting
1 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons water or milk
In a heavy duty mixer combine the shortening, butter or margarine, vanilla and water or milk. Add the sugar and salt, beat until well mixed. Add a tablespoon or two more of water or milk if needed. Turn mixer to the highest speed and beat for 15 minutes.
Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting
1 cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
Beat peanut butter and butter in a medium bowl until creamy and combined.
Gradually blend in sugar; when the mixture thickens, begin incorporating milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, at least 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Use it to frost a peanut butter cake or cupcakes, pipe it onto chocolate cupcakes, or spread it on cookies or brownies.
Easy Chocolate-Peanut Butter Frosting
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. peanut butter
Melt both together in microwave and stir until smooth. Spread while warm on bar cookies, brownies or cupcakes. Firms up at it cools.
Peanut Soup
This is one of the easiest soups I make. It is also one of my favorites. It’s a rich soup with a creamy texture and just a hint of heat. You could make it spicier, of course. The recipe is very versatile. As written, the soup is vegan, but you could make it with a meat-based stock, if you prefer.
If your only experience with eating peanut butter is on a sandwich or in cookies, you might be surprised at just how good this soup tastes. I have made it with almond butter. If you don’t have peanut butter, the almond butter works fine. Other nut butters would also work. but I still prefer it made with peanut butter. It freezes well, too.
Peanut Soup
2 c. chopped onions
1 T. oil
cayenne pepper to taste
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 c. chopped carrots
1 c. chopped sweet potatoes
1 c. chopped white potatoes
5 c. vegetable stock or water
1 c. tomato sauce
1 c. smooth peanut butter
1 T. sugar, optional
1 c. chopped green onions
Sauté onions in oil until tender. Add seasonings and carrots and sauté 3 minutes more. Add potatoes and stock and simmer until vegetables are tender. Puree soup in blender in batches until smooth. Return to pot and add tomato sauce and peanut butter. Add sugar if soup is not sweet enough. I never add the sugar, but some people do. Warm gently and serve with green onions on top. You could also top with chopped peanuts, for a little crunch. Serves 6-8.
Peanut Butter Pancakes with Red Grape Syrup
I wanted to make peanut butter pancakes the other morning. I really like the whole pb&j flavor combination but I didn’t have any grape jelly. I did have some red grapes in the freezer and I decided use them to make a syrup. The combination was really good. I started by making the grape syrup. I took 2 cups of frozen grapes and set them in a small skillet with about 1/4 cup of sugar, a little cinnamon and some fresh grated nutmeg. I let this mixture cook over medium high heat until the grapes were tender and the liquid in the pan had created a syrup. I didn’t need to add water as the frozen grapes gave off their juices as soon as they started to heat up. With fresh grapes you might want to add a little water to get the whole process going. It took about 15 minutes in all. While the grapes were cooking I made the pancake batter and began cooking the pancakes. When the pancakes were done I topped them with a few grapes and a drizzle of the pretty grape syrup. Not a peanut butter and jelly sandwich – but something so much better. Sometimes it pays to think outside the box.
Peanut Butter Pancakes
1 c. buttermilk baking mix, like Bisquick or Jiffy mix, I make my own
2 T. sugar
1 egg
1/3 c. peanut butter
2/3 half and half
1/4 c. water
Combine baking mix and sugar and set aside. Whisk together remaining ingredients until smooth and add the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Heat and lightly oil skillet and use 1/4 c. of better for each pancake. Cook over medium heat. Turn when edges appear dry. Makes 8.
Peanut Butter Pancakes with Red Grape Syrup
Peanut Butter Pancakes with Red Grape Syrup
Was in the mood for pb&j this morning but since I was out of bread had to get creative. I had some red grapes in the freezer and I decided to pair them up with peanut butter pancakes. The combination was really good. I started by making the syrup. I took about 2 cups of frozen grapes and set them in a small skillet with about 1/4 cup of sugar. I let this mixture cook over medium high heat until the grapes were tender and the liquid in the pan had created a syrup. I didn’t need to add water as the frozen grapes gave off their juices as soon as they started to heat up. With fresh grapes you might want to add a little water to get the whole process going. It took about 15 minutes in all. While the grapes were cooking I made the pancake batter and began cooking the pancakes. When the pancakes were done I topped them with a few grapes and a drizzle of the pretty grape syrup. Not the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I had in mind- something so much better. Sometimes it pays to think outside the box.
Peanut Butter Pancakes
1 c. buttermilk baking mix, like Bisquick or Jiffy mix, I make my own
2 T. sugar
1 egg
1/3 c. peanut butter
2/3 half and half
1/4 c. water
Combine baking mix and sugar and set aside. Whisk together remaining ingredients until smooth and add the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Heat and lightly oil skillet and use 1/4 c. of better for each pancake. Cook over medium heat. Turn when edges appear dry. Makes 8.
Peanut Soup
Peanut Soup
I taught a vegetarian cooking class yesterday at the Nature Center for the University of Mount Union. One of the dishes we had was a peanut soup. Rich and flavorful it was a big hit with the students. I think you will like it, too. A different way to eat peanut butter for a lot of us. You could use almond butter or cashew butter instead of the peanut butter, if you like.
Peanut Soup
2 c. chopped onions
1 T. oil
cayenne pepper to taste
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 c. chopped carrots
1 c. chopped sweet potatoes
1 c. chopped white potatoes
5 c. vegetable stock or water
1 c. tomato sauce
1 c. smooth peanut butter
1 c. chopped green onions
Sauté onions in oil until tender. Add seasonings and carrots and sauté 3 minutes more. Add potatoes and stock and simmer until vegetables are tender. Puree soup in blender in batches until smooth. Return to pot and add tomato sauce and peanut butter. Warm gently and serve with green onions on top. Serves 6-8.
Peanut Dipping Sauce
Peanut Dipping Sauce
I had a special request for this recipe. We were doing an Asian dinner for Chinese New Year and needed an assortment of dipping sauces. This one is super easy and requires no cooking. I made a single batch but should of made more as it went fast.
Peanut Dipping Sauce
1/3 c. peanut butter
1/3 c. coconut milk
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1-2 cloves garlic
1 t. fresh grated ginger
1 t. soy sauce
Dash hot red pepper sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Note: If you want to use this sauce on pasta thin it with 1/3 cup of vegetable stock.
