Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Frosting

There's a cupcake in it for anyone who is willing to come over and hose me and my kitchen down. My life is covered in chocolate frosting. 

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Frosting

slightly adapted from sally's baking addiction

Makes 12

For the Cupcakes:

165g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
115g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons buttermilk

For the Dark Chocolate Frosting:
2 and 3/4 cup icing sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
85g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/4 buttermilk, more or less to give a piping consistency to the frosting
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of fine sea salt

Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Set aside.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy - about 2 minutes on medium speed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add in vanilla. Scrape down the sides and then slowly beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing until just combined. Do not over mix.

Divide batter evenly between 12 cupcake tins ( I use an ice cream scoop). Bake for 23-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting.

Make the Frosting: 

Sift together the icing sugar, salt and cocoa powder to make sure there are no lumps. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until fluffy - about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sifted sugar/salt/cocoa powder alternately with the buttermilk and vanilla. Beat on low speed after each addition. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.