Website Wednesday: Chunky Monkey Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

Ahhh spring!

I shared my love of this season last week when I was tearfully saying good bye to soup season.

My love for spring runs deep.

One thing I do not love about this Spring, however, is all of these crazy diets that practically every.one.I.know is on!

Don’t get me wrong I have been craving fresh fruits and spring salads and I am trying to cut back on the heavier foods and be a bit more consistent in my work outs (you know with short weather here and all)….

But come on people! Absolutely no carbs? No sugar? No dairy? Shakes, powders, and potions?!?

I believe in all things in moderation!

I couldn’t let Eric’s birthday pass without cake (of course…. How can you have a birthday without cake?)! I searched high and low for the.perfect.cake.recipe and ended up creating this Chunky Monkey Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting.

These cupcakes are omg. Insane. Droolworthy. Ruin your crazy good for nothing diet good.

I know because since *every.single.person.I.know* is on some crazy diet and are barley touching any form of *real* food with a ten foot pole, I got to enjoy (read: stuff my face) almost every single one of these cupcakes. All.by.myself. (oh… errr… Eric MAY have had one of his birthday cupcakes….)
I do not regret it! In fact I am quite happy that my *friends* (really being a food blogger can I even call these so.called.dieters my friends) are all on diets so that I can keep all these cupcakes to myself. Their. Loss.

These are it, people. The cupcake I have waited my whole life for! (have I convinced you to make these yet?)

(dieters, think what you want of me)

One Year Ago: Ultimate Panini
Two Years Ago: Guinness Shepherds Pie
Three Years Ago: Butterscotch Sweet Potato Cookie Sandwiches

Chunky Monkey Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
Printable Version
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 18-22 minutes Makes approximately 20 cupcakes

½ cup butter, softened
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Chocolate Peanut Butter frosting, recipe below

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time mixing well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla.

Sift together 2 cups flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk to banana mixture. Beating just until blended.

Toss chocolate chips with remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Stir chocolate chips into batter.
Divide batter evenly among 20 paper lined muffin cups. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cupcakes are completely cool frost with chocolate peanut butter frosting and top with chopped walnuts.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
by Heather of Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com
Prep Time: 10 minutes Makes approximately 2 cups frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup peanut butter
5-6 tablespoons milk
½ cup cocoa powder
2 ½- 3 cups powdered sugar

Cream together the butter and vanilla extract. Add the peanut butter and mix thoroughly. Slowly add in the cocoa powder and powdered sugar one cup at a time alternating with the milk, mixing until desired consistency is reached.

Chunky Monkey Cupcake recipe inspired by Food.com
Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting by Heather of Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com