Peanut Butter Oreo Cupcakes

Happy Tuesday! I hope you all enjoyed a nice Labor Day weekend. Aren't long weekends the best? At least until they come to an end. I spent with the weekend in Vermont with three of my very best friends from high school. I don't see them very often so we always make the most of our time together and have tons of fun. And I always leave them wishing that they would move back to Boston. Maybe someday. Anyways, we did a lot of touristy things, like visiting the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream factory and the Cabot Cheese store. I will share some of the highlights of the trip in an upcoming blog post. 

For now I will just tell you about these Peanut Butter Oreo Cupcakes. A few weeks ago I was in Chicago and sampled a good number of cupcakes throughout the trip. Out of all of the cupcakes that I sampled, my favorite flavors were peanut butter and Oreo. This should really come as no surprise- I have never tried a peanut butter or Oreo dessert that I haven't liked. On my way home from Chicago, I decided to combine these two flavors and make one amazing cupcake. These Peanut Butter Oreo Cupcakes turned out even better than I imagined. The cupcakes themselves are light and full of peanut butter flavor. They are then topped with a creamy Oreo buttercream and garnished with mini Oreos. I am already thinking about other desserts I can make with this combination of flavors!

Peanut Butter Oreo Cupcakes
Cupcake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes, Frosting recipe from Your Cup of Cake

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
4-5 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup oreos, finely crushed

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the peanut butter and mix until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the sour cream. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the buttermilk and then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until combined after each addition.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until the frosting reaches your desired consistency, about 3-4 more minutes. Gently stir in the crushed Oreos. Pipe frosting onto fully cooled cupcakes and garnish with additional Oreos.