Happy Mother’s Day! I think these cupcakes are a perfect mother’s day post because they bring back memories of the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches my mom used to make for me most days to take to school when I was a kid. I don’t miss grade school very much, but I do get nostalgic about those bagged lunches that were always waiting for me as I ran out the door to catch the bus.

These white cupcakes have a strawberry preserve filling and are topped with peanut butter frosting. They really did remind me of eating a super delicious PB&J sandwich. I loved the strawberry flavor but my husband recommends using grape jelly for the filling so that it tastes more like the PB&J sandwiches of his childhood. Whichever filling you choose, you can’t go wrong!

I start by making the cupcakes. I use a recipe I found online on food.com for a simple white cupcake.

While the cupcakes are baking, I make the peanut butter frosting by using another easy recipe I found online.

The cupcakes come out of the oven looking perfect.

I bought this fun cupcake plunger a few weeks ago, so I use that to make the holes in the cupcakes for the filling.

Then I fill each cupcake with strawberry preserves.

I tried to frost the cupcakes to look like the ones at cupcake stores but it really didn’t work out so then I topped each with a dollop of preserves and a peanut!

Prep Time: 1.5 hours (including decorating the cupcakes) Cook Time: 25 minutes

Makes: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients: 

For cupcakes: 

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk

For frosting: 

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk (or more as needed)

Other:

• Strawberry preserves (one small jar to fill cupcakes as needed)
• Peanuts for garnish

Recipe: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cupcake pan with liners.
2. Combine the white sugar and butter in a bowl with an electric hand or stand mixer.
3. Add in the eggs slowly, continuing to mix.
4. Stir in the vanilla extract, flour, and baking powder and mix well.
5. Add in the milk and combine until the batter is smooth.
6. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners until each is about 3/4 of the way full.
7. Put the cupcakes in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
8. While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the frosting by combining the butter and peanut butter in a bowl with an electric hand or stand mixer.
9. Add in the confectioner’s sugar and combine until the frosting is thick.
10. Add in the milk one tablespoon at a time  to make the frosting more spreadable. Beat the frosting for a few minutes until it is creamy.
11. Refrigerate the frosting for 15-20 minutes to let it harden a little bit.
12. Take the cupcakes out of the oven and allow them to cool completely (15-20 minutes).
13. Use the cupcake plunger to make holes in each cupcake and fill each with about 2 tablespoons of the strawberry preserves.
14. Either using a decorative bag with the frosting inside of it or a butter knife, spread the frosting over each cupcake.
15. Garnish with a dollop of strawberry preserves and a peanut and serve!