Reindeer cupcakes with peanut butter frosting

These are super fun: chocolate-peanut butter cupcakes with peanut butter frosting, turned into adorable reindeer!

Credit: Flour Power Christmas: Edible Gifts

• makes

  12

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Peanut butter cupcakes

• 115 g (½ cup) butter, room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
• 1¼ cups plain flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup sour cream
• 12 mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Chocolate peanut butter frosting

• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 230 g (1 cup) butter, room temperature
• ½ cup cocoa
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp (45 ml) milk

To decorate

• 24 pretzels
• 24 edible googly eyes
• 12 small red gumdrops

Allow cupcakes to cool completely before icing.

Instructions

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
2. Cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time and keep beating until smooth. Add vanilla and mix in.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Pour flour mixture into butter mixture, mixing to incorporate. Add milk and sour cream and stir to incorporate.
4. Pour batter into lined cupcake tray. Place an unwrapped mini peanut butter cup into the centre of each cupcake and press in gently. Bake 15-18 minutes, until top springs back when pressed.
5. Remove from oven, take cupcakes out of tray, and let cool.
6. To make the frosting, cream together smooth peanut butter and butter. Add cocoa powder and mix in. Slowly add icing sugar and continue beating to incorporate. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until thick but spreadable.  
7. To finish, frost the cupcakes. Add two pretzels to each cupcake for the antlers. Add googly eyes. Add gum drops for the noses.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.