Busy Cooking: Fluffernutter Cupcakes

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Growing up in Massachusetts, fluffernutter sandwiches were a staple.  The fluff is in the aisle with the peanut butter.

I spent a summer studying at Duke, there was no fluff!  Yes, my mom sent an emergency package of fluff to me.  Living in the midwest now, there is fluff, but not in the peanut butter aisle- in the baking aisle.

Sometimes, it's not fluff, it's marshmallow kreme.  I only eat fluff.

Yesterday, Hazel ate our last cupcake after lunch.  I said "I wish I had a cupcake", she said "Why don't we make some more?".

I checked the clock, we had 30 minutes until Maeve's doctor appointment.  There was time.  I looked at my cake stand that I got for Christmas.  It is illegal to keep a cake stand empty.

I went to look up some other cupcakes I wanted to make and got sidetracked by these.

Make them, you'll love them- even if you have to use Marshmallow Kreme.

I found the recipe on How Sweet It Is blog, and the recipe listed below is a half batch, which yielded 20 mini cupcakes (or 8 large).  I also cut the amount of butter in the icing.

Fluffernutter Cupcakes:

Oven:  350'

Cupcakes:
2 TBSP unsalted butter (1/8 cup)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 + 1/8 tsp baking powder
3 TBSP milk
1/4 cup peanut butter chips (I omitted because I didn't have any)
1/3 cup marshmallow fluff

Peanut butter Filling:
1 TBSP butter
1/8 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 + 1/8 cup powdered sugar
1 TBSP milk (more if needed)

Marshmallow Frosting:
4 TBSP (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup marshmallow fluff
1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
2-3 TBSP milk (to reach desired consistency)

1) Preheat oven to 350 and put liners in cupcake pans.

2) In bowl of mixer, cream peanut butter and butter until smooth and fluffy.  Beat in sugar, egg, and vanilla until fluffy.  Scrape down sides.

3) In small bowl, mix together flour and baking powder.  Add half of the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl, mix until combined.  Scrape down sides.

4) Add milk to mixer bowl, mix until combined.  Add remaining dry ingredients.  Mix until combined, scrape down sides.

5) Fold in fluff and peanut butter chips (if using).

6) Fill liners of cupcake pans about 2/3 full.  Bake 12-14 minutes for mini cupcakes, 17-21 for large.  Rotate pans halfway through.

7) Let cupcakes cool completely.

8) Make filling.  Put peanut butter and butter in a bowl, beat with electric mixer.  Add in vanilla and confectioner's sugar.  Beat again- it will be dry and crumbly.  Add milk to reach a thick, sticky consistency like  oatmeal.

9) Once cupcakes are cooled, cut a circle out of the top, scrape off the bottom of the circle to remove cake from center of cupcake. Fill the well with peanut butter filling, place the top back on the cupcake.

10) Prepare the frosting.  Beat butter in bowl of mixer until fluffy.  Add in marshmallow fluff and beat again for 2-3 minutes (important to do).

11) Add vanilla, beat.  Add confectioner's sugar on low until combined.  If it seems too thick (mine did), add in milk 1 TBSP at a time, you want it to be thin enough to pipe out but thick enough to hold its shape.  I added about 2 TBSP milk.  Beat again 2-3 minutes!  (make sure to do this, at first I didn't, and my frosting didn't seem right, so I put it back in and beat it for 3 minutes on medium high and it was much tastier and fluffier).

12) Put 2-3 TBSP peanut butter in ziploc, microwave for 25-30 seconds, cut a small hole in the corner and drizzle on tops. (optional).

But seriously, it takes them to the next level, if there is one.

13) Try to stop yourself from eating them all.