Lily’s Cupcakes with Peanut Cinnamon Buttercream

Lily’s Cupcakes with Peanut 

Cinnamon Buttercream

These cupcakes will cheer up the kids (or Santa himself!) as they make their countdown to the twelve days of Christmas. It has a yellow cupcake base with chopped peanuts for crunch. Yummy buttercream whisked with Lily’s Peanut Butter and cinnamon crowns each piece. Makes a dozen cupcakes.

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk, at room temperature

3/4 cup plain, toasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

12 paper liners

12-cup cupcake pan

For the peanut cinnamon buttercream:

1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup Lily’s Peanut Butter (170 grams), stirred well

1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted if lumpy

1/4 cup all-purpose cream, chilled

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Candy-coated chocolate or chocolate chips, to garnish

To make the cupcakes:

1.    Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.    In a bowl, mix the flour and baking powder together using a wire whisk or fork until well combined. Set aside.

3.    In a large mixing bowl, cut the butter into small pieces and beat until creamy using a wooden spoon or spatula for two minutes. Add the sugar half at a time and beat until consistency is light and fluffy.

4.    Beat in vanilla extract then add the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour mixture and the milk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat after each addition. The batter should be smooth and lump free. Stir in the chopped peanuts.

5.    Arrange the paper liners on the cups of the cupcake pan. Pour the batter generously but equally on each cup. Bake for 18 minutes. Test the cupcake by inserting a toothpick at the center. It should be clean or have just a few moist crumbs when you lift toothpick. The cupcake will have a rounded top.

6.    Cool the pan for 5 minutes before transferring each of the cupcakes to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting with the buttercream.

To make the buttercream:

1.    In a bowl, beat together the butter and peanut butter using an electric mixer at medium speed for about one to two minutes.

2.    Add the confectioner’s sugar and beat until just combined. Pour the cream and vanilla then beat at high speed for three minutes until the mixture is lighter in color and fluffy in consistency. Stir in the cinnamon.

3.     Spread or frost the buttercream immediately on top of the cupcakes. For variation: you can also split the cupcake in the middle and fill it with the buttercream. Return the top of the cupcake and frost, if desired.

4.    Arrange some candy-coated chocolates or chocolate chips on top of the frosting for a more festive look.

Baker’s notes:

·      Store the cupcakes in an airtight plastic container at room temperature (not in the refrigerator, which will dry them out) for 2 days. You can also freeze them (without the buttercream) for one week. Just make the buttercream on the day you’re serving the cupcakes.

·      Store any leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the freezer up to 2 days. Make sure to wrap it well so it doesn’t absorb any smells from the other food in the fridge. Re-beat before using.