Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes

So the title on these is a bit misleading since they really aren't cupcakes. They're brownies baked in cupcake wrappers, filled with a peanut butter cheesecake center and topped with peanut butter and chocolate frosting. I'm guessing you're probably OK with me misleading you in this direction.

My sister-in-law shared this recipe with me after seeing it on Facebook, and I traced it back to Gretchen's Bakery. My favorite part is that I have frosting left because that was my favorite part of this treat, but then again, I'm a sucker for frosting.

Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes
Brownie Cupcake
6 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour 
Peanut Butter Filling
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 Tbsp. milk 
Peanut Butter Frosting
Chocolate Frosting

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine butter and chocolate together, and melt together, stirring often (either in microwave or on stove). In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, salt, eggs and vanilla. Whisk together well. Add melted mixture, and whisk to incorporate. Stir in flour just until mixed. Portion batter into 15 prepared cupcake liners.

Make the peanut butter filling by beating the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, and mix until incorporated. Add the peanut butter, and mix well. Add the egg and then the milk. Drop spoons of the mixture into each cupcake, pushing slightly so it goes into the batter.

Bake for 25 minutes or until brownies reach desired texture. Cool completely before frosting. I made a standard peanut butter buttercream frosting and used a chocolate frosting from Brown Eyed Baker. I filled a pastry bag with both to swirl my delicious frosting on top of the cupcakes. Be sure to make only a half batch of each frosting, unless you double the cupcake recipe. Makes 15 cupcakes.