it’s peanut butter jelly time

Who needs a sandwich when you can have a pb&j cupcake?  Serve them with a pitcher of cold milk and you’ve got a kid-friendly hit on your hands. 

{image and recipe via martha stewart}

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes
Makes 18

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Frosting*
Strawberry jam, for topping

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda) in a large bowl.  In another bowl, cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add Peanut Butter. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions. Scrape sides of bowl. Divide batter among baking cups, filling each 2/3 full.
Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks.  Once cupcakes are cool, frost tops with peanut butter frosting. Place a dollop of jam in center of frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting*
Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients
6 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions
Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar with a mixer on medium speed. Add salt, then peanut butter, then vanilla. Whisk cream until soft peaks form, and then fold into peanut butter mixture. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. (Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)