How To: Starburst Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Hey Nibblers!

     I have literally just finished my last uni exam for this year. I'm peering outside my window and all I see is rain. Usually, this upsets me but, I've feeling quite calm from the pattering sounds hitting my window. Thunder and lighting are going at it with each other but for some reason I'm in such a festive mood. I love christmas. It's just the frantic present hunting trips, crazy parking queues and mountains of food that have me chirping for days. To celebrate my elevated spirits, I thought I would share with you something a little bit quirky. I've never seen a recipe like it before so I hope I've just created something special you could try out for the coming festive season.
     I can't take all the credit for this little invention of mine. It started about seven years ago when my food tech assignment was to bake a cupcake with any topping we wanted. Everyone opted for the normal options of either choc chips, fruits and veggies. I on the other hand forgot to even bring anything from home. So, I quickly called Kelly (as she loved close by) and asked her if she had anything at home. She only had Starburst gummy lollies and as to not be in trouble, I said yes. They turned out to be amazing! The gummy bits basically just melt into colourful puddles of sugar in the cupcake but, it's really quite delicious. I can't explain it well but it's like eating lollies and cake all in one go. It sounds weird but it works. Now, seven years on, I've decided to re-create that and put an extra twist on the original creation and add some peanut butter frosting. Hope you enjoy!

What you'll need: (Makes 12 large cupcakes)
For the cupcakes:

- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/3 cup of milk
- 3/4 cup of Starburst Jelly Babies
(OR your favourite gummy lollies, just roughly cut them into 1x1cm chucks to avoid the cupcake breaking when cooled.)
- 180g of melted unsalted butter

For the peanut butter frosting (optional):
I've just discovered Elise's Youtube channel, 'MyCupcakeAddition' where she makes the most awesome cupcakes, cakes and cake pops and does an awesome job of decorating them.
 I used her 'Buttercream Frosting' recipe and added 2 heaped Tbs. of smooth peanut butter to make the peanut butter flavouring as she does in her  'Giant Reese's Butter Cup Cake' recipe. You should definitely click on the links to check her out!

How to:
1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit)
2. Line or spray your cupcake tray to prepare for cupcake mixture
3. Beat your melted butter, vanilla and eggs in a mixing bowl then set aside
4. Measure out your flour, sugar, baking powder into a large mixing bowl and mix well together
5. Fold your wet mixture (egg, butter, vanilla) into your dry ingredients bowl combine until well incorporated
6. Mix in your milk and Starburst Jelly babies until well combined
7. Divide equally into lined cupcake tray
8. Pop them into the oven for 18 minutes, checking with a wooden skewer to see if it's cooked
9. Prepare your peanut butter frosting in the meantime using Elise's recipe linked above

10. Take the cupcakes out of the oven and them to cool for about 10 minutes
11. Cut your cupcakes horizontally into equal pieces as if you were making a sandwich
12. Spoon in a generous amount of frosting onto one side and pop the other half on top
13. Nibble away!

      Hope you Nibblers enjoyed this recipe! Just looking at these pictures has made me even more excited! If you want to make these especially festive, just use only red and green gummy lollies! They will taste just as awesome. They do also keep up to a week and a bit if you refrigerate them. Just microwave them for about 20 seconds (depending on your microwave) and they come out as good as if they've just been baked. On that note, I think it's time to put the Christmas tree up! When do you start putting those festive decorations up? I always do it the day I finish my exams. 

      If you do try this recipe out or have any other thoughts, tweet me or leave a comment below! All my contact info in in the 'About Me' tab. Hope you're all having an amazing week. Here's a few more shots of the finished product.

oh peanut butter frostingggg 

Nibble Away!

          

             Jo x.