Behold!

If I weren't too lazy to go upstairs, get the digital camera, then find the stupid cord to download the photos, I wouldn't have to capture this with my BlackBerry.  Regardless, behold the peanut butter bomb cupcake:

 

Fletch said he'd bring cupcakes to work if I wanted to experiment with other recipes, so I made Martha's one-bowl chocolate cupcakes and the frosting from her peanut butter and jelly cupcakes. 

The cakes were gorgeous - dark and glossy and really moist.  However, the frosting wasn't nearly sweet enough.  Basically, it just tasted like peanut butter and I assume the big drop of jelly on top is what makes them tasty.  (Martha did warn us about mixing and matching her various cupcake components.)  

So, I cut the cake open, put the pb frosting as-is in the middle, reassembled and topped with buttercream and then used an equal mix of buttercream and peanut butter mixture to make a pb-buttercream swirl on top of that. 

Fletch assures me they are magnificent.  I can't personally vouch for them because I can't eat another goddamned cupcake, possibly ever.  Apparently you can get enough of a good thing. 

FYI, are you aware that baking cupcakes is an excellent way to procrastinate writing a keynote address?

Now you know.

Comments

[Sally]

In response to your previous post, showing up and drinking all the ____________ (fill in the blank with whatever you tend to drink) is totally a thing. Otherwise, I have no thing.

Secondly, in response to the posts about trying to diet, I have (unsuccessfully) joined Weight Watchers on several occasions. The one thing I took from them, however, is their cake recipe. It uses boxed cake mix so I guess it's cheating but whatever. Take a box of cake mix, mix it with a can of diet coke (instead of eggs, oil, water, etc), and bake according to the directions. I has suspicious at first but that were actually quite tasty. The only time I had then with frosting, someone else made them so I have no idea if the frosting was "healthy" or not.

[Janet]

Okay Jen, now I have to go get some cupcakes. I don't have the energy to make them. I'm sure my store-bought cupcakes won't be as yummy as yours, but they will have to do.

[Heather]

If you bring cupcakes to Blissdom, I'll write your speech for you. Or, wait. I'll get everyone to sign a petition that says you don't have to speak, that you are free to hang out and drink as much wine as you please. Convinced?

[Elisa]

That was a fantastic idea! You are obviously better at this than Martha Stewart ;-)

On a side not, I can't believe you didn't find it tempting. I can't imagine not wanting to eat a cupcake! Except those gross-fake looking ones I see sometimes at Stop&Shop - ugh.

[Michelle Smiles]

Bring cupcakes and we won't care if you make a speech.

[Jill]

Jen - you are killing us that are TRYING to diet right now!! But those DO look yummy! I'm soooo bummed - but I'm not going to be at the Bliss conference this weekend. (I was planning on it - but I was laid off last week - so that nixed it) So, please. . . make a trip to Ohio - anywhere in the state - I will come!

[The Yummy Mummy Cooks Gourmet]

Jen -

Just read BITNB and loved it. Okay, I'm slow on the up-take, but better a fan now than never.

Just as a rule, when Martha issues an edit about cupcakes best to just bone up and do it, lest she come to your house and kick your ass.

They look scrumptious!

Kim

[mother]

It's almost like you are nesting (without the baby part being involved). The cupcake looks great. I could use some chocolat therapy right about now.

[Mandy]

http://www.cupcakewraptureshop.com/shofpicuwr.html

You can be the Lady who brings delish cupcakes in cute little wrappers!!!

[Danielle]

You need to go out and get yourself some decorating tips.. the one i have has a tip that actually will allow you to FILL your cupcake with frosting - kind of like a twinkie... i.e. your PB... No longer having to cut them! I only found this after I had to make 30 freaking lion cupcakes for my little guy's 3rd bday.

[tracee]

Jen:

I suspect that the cold weather and enormous amounts of snow have you being oh so creative with your cupcakes. Here in Boston, where my dog has no place to potty the snowbanks are so high, I too am being creative. I wrote an Ode to Potholes titled "That Innie Hates My Audi."

[Beth]

Holy shit! I LOVE peanut butter.... Never did I think to make an icing for cupcakes for it. YUMMO! I will have to try that one out. Did you go out and get some decorating tips? That sure looks like a fancy swirl on top! Put the cupcakes down and get back to that book... I can't wait to read it!

[Kelli]

I think a great keynote would be a cupcake baking demonstration. I volunteer to be your assistant since I am a good baker and I have been procrastinatng with baking myself these days.

[Tracie MLRM]

I may have licked the screen.

Partly because it looks delish and partly because I am on weight watchers (again). Its monday - I cant waste all my points on a cupcake! But on Sunday, my last day b4 my points roll over, I AM MAKING THOSE CUPCAKES!!

[CJ]

Those look yummy. If you want better peanut butter frosting, check out the recipe for Stephen Pyles Heaven and Hell cake. Ignore everything but the Peanut Butter Mousse part. Make that, and frost away with it. Everyone says the mousse is the best part of the cake.

http://dhomeblog.dmagazine.com/2007/03/07/you-asked-for-it/

I always thought it was called the heaven and hell cake because it layered devil's food and angel food cakes. Chef Pyles cleared that up one day when he explained the cake was hell to make, and heaven to eat. After making it numerous times, I couldn't agree more.

[Jeanette]

You're killing me! Gaah...

I have 15 more pounds to lose before I can zip up the dress I plan to wear to a party at the end of the month.

Cupcake posts not helping!

It's a beautiful cupcake...sigh

[Meg]

Those look and sound delicious.

[Donna]

They look delicious! Of course, now I need a cupcake.

[Dana]

What Jara said about the piping bag, however, if you're going to frost the top anyway - just poke the hole in the top, instead of the bottom, then the entry point gets covered up once frosted.

Now I'm going to have to try and find my aunt's cupcake recipe! Thanks!

[CityGirl]

Hi Jen.
I'm having a shitty day.
Can I come over for cupcakes?
They look delicious and I will be brutally honest about your sweetness-to-peanut-butter ratio. Seriously.
A dear fan,
Britt

[Jojo]

I'd like to give you some very practical advice about having a thing. Whatever your thing is, make sure it's really easy. Really, really easy. My thing is Oreo Truffles dipped in white chocolate. They are very good, but I am so sick and tired of rolling those stupid little things for every party I go to I wish I had never learned the recipe.

Things are over rated.

[Private Eyes]

So if you're tired of making cupcakes, can you mail them to me?? =)

[Erin]

Cupcakes are CRACK. I ♥ them. Especially pink sparkly ones.

[Andi]

Yeah...I should learn to EDIT my comments before submitting them, I do know English!

[Andi]

Your prescence (keynote) are the driving factors to my attendance at the Blissdom conference this weekend! It was a huge cherry on the (cup)cake. Looking forward to it!

[Stephanie]

Check out this book for cupcake decorating ideas--it's the best, very creative and uses ingrediants that are easy to find--I think you'll especially like the "Pup-cakes", I made them and they came out great!
"Hello, Cupcake!"http://www.amazon.com/Hello-Cupcake-Irresistibly-Playful-Creations/dp/0618829253

[Parsing Nonsense]

You just made me drool a little, which is unfortunate as my boss just happened to be walking by. I'm going to need one of those shipped to me IMMEDIATELY.

[DawnMarie]

Good luck with your cupcakes!! Also, I finally picked up Twilight and by chapter 4 I am hooked (so much so that my boss has already reprimanded me for reading when I should be working). I was holding out on reading it because years ago everyone told me how great There's Something About Mary was, and when I finally saw it I hated it (and still do!!). So I was scared I wouldn't like Twilight. Now I can't put it down!

[Jara]

Those cupcakes look SOOO yummy!!!

Here's a tip: for an easier way to fill cupcakes with frosting or any other filling, put the filling into a piping bag with a round decorating tip at the end (you can get these at Target, or any other store for cake decorating), stick the tip in the bottom of the cupcake, and fill until just a tiny bit of filling comes out at the bottom. That way, the top of the cake is the perfect plate for more frosting, and you don't have to worry about cutting the cupcake too far!

[GinnyP]

WOW - That certainly looks YUMMY!!!

Not sure what your next experiment will be, but if it was me, I think I would make some sort of PINK SPARKLY cupcakes for Fletcher to take to work.

Just sayin.

P.S. If you need a recipe my 9 year old got a Fairy Cookbook for Christmas and there is one in there!

[McMemorandum]

Jen,
I am in the middle Such a Pretty Fat-- so I am saying WTF with the cupcake pic. Love you and all your books so far. If you are ever in my area- I want you to meet my friends. When I made them read your books for our drinking/book club they swore I wrote the books under a pen name. The rest of them think my mom just put my twin up for adoption. Keep it coming!
McM

[Amo]

No one will care what your talking about at Bliss09 as long as you have cupcakes! ;)

Not that I'm angling for a cupcake or anything...

[emily]

i have discovered the joy of cupcakes too! if the frosting is getting to you, you could try black bottom cupcakes! i made them for my super bowl party and they were the biggest hit ever! here's a link to the recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Black-Bottom-Cupcakes-I/Detail.aspx

they are totally yummy!

also, good luck on you keynote address, but i have to agree with MZA, it should totally have a couple of cupcake references!

[Missy]

Dammit. Now I want a cupcake. And I'd been on such a Rice Krispie Treat jag, too.

[Stephanie]

That is what I would call a sexy cupcake! And forget what Martha says; recipes are made to be mixed and matched. I'm excited to see what cupcaky magic you create next!

www.monsterawr.com

[Brijette Mae Sears]

Just so you know, I just finished reading "Such a Pretty Fat" and my favorite joke EVER is in that book.

"Ask me where Djibouti is!"

You are definitely one of my favorite people alive and I appreciate your honesty and your truth.

[paperdiva]

Because of you I have been thinking and dreaming about cupcakes. Shit. I think I have to go buy that damn mag and a cupcake tree!!!

[Heather]

Jen you've inspired me! I picked up a cupcake book and some ingredients/tools this weekend and made some yummy yellow cupcakes with strawberry buttercream icing. Making cupcakes is super fun, especially the decorating part. Thanks for the idea!

[Caitlin]

You know, one of my favorite surprises in the world just happened now. I'm sitting in my newspaper class, catching up on your blog (reading the Jan 30 post and also looking through Martha's cupcake collection, which has now inspired me to make beautiful cupcakes for my boyfriend on V-day) and I accidentally reloaded the page, and BAM! there's a brand-new blog posted for me to read.
That being said, good luck on the keynote address. Though I must say, baking cupcakes sounds a lot more fun.

[MZA]

Keynote schmenote -- just talk about cupcakes.

I have yet to reach my own personal cupcake limit.

Unfortunately, unless you sell your recipe to Jenny Craig so they can make a tiny version of it & call it "dessert", I won't get to taste the peanut butter bombs.

Cupcakes. . . I wish I could quit you!