Peanut Butter Blossom Cupcakes

I had chocolate buttercream leftover from the cake balls so I decided cupcakes were in order.  I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter so I found a peanut butter cupcake recipe in a cookbook my sister gave me for Christmas.  I love those peanut butter blossom cookies (the ones with the Hershey Kiss on top), so I created something similar with these cupcakes.  I had some mini peanut butter cups in my baking stash so I plunked one into the batter before baking.  The cake was nice and light, but best of all it was peanut buttery.  The peanut butter cup in the middle and the chocolate frosting really pulled it all together for a fantastic combination.  The cupcakes were pretty tasty even without the chocolate frosting on top.

Just so we're clear, I think the title is a little misleading.  These treats look like cupcakes, but they are a little more dense and cookie-like than cupcakes.  They're a deliciously large version of the peanut butter blossom cookies.

Peanut Butter Blossom Cupcakes
Adapted from Cupcakes and Muffins

4 Tbsp (half stick) butter, softened
Heaping 1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (I used creamy because that's all I had)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
Generous 1/3 cup milk

16 mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped
Chocolate Frosting (leftover from Cake Balls)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line two 12-hole muffin tins with 16 paper liners.  Place the butter, sugar and peanut butter in a bowl and beat together for 1-2 minutes, or until well mixed.  Gradually beat in the eggs, then add the vanilla.  Sift in the flour and baking powder, then fold them into the mixture, alternating with the milk.  Spoon the batter into the paper liners.  Place a peanut butter cup into each muffin cup and push down until the top of the candy is just below the top of the batter.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Once cooled, frost the cupcakes.