peanut butter & jelly

Looking for an alternative to the peanut butter and jelly sandwich? LOLA’s has the answer. Our tribute cupcake is based on a nutty cake concealing a treasure of strawberry jelly/jam. The pretty but decadent peanut and jelly frosting packs a sweet punch. We really LOVE this cupcake.

• 200 g/1⅔ cups plain/ all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 175 g/1½ sticks butter, cubed and soft
• 200 g/1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 200 g/¾ cup smooth all-natural peanut butter
• 2 large eggs
• 150 ml/⅔ cup milk
• 170 g/¾ cup strawberry jam/jelly

PEANUT BUTTER & jelly FROSTING

• 70 g/½ cup finely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts, plus extra to decorate
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 120 g/1 stick butter, cubed and soft
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 500 g/3⅔ cups icing/ confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons strawberry jam/jelly, plus extra to top
• 1–2 tablespoons milk

muffin pan lined with 12 muffin cases

Makes 12

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/ Gas 4.

Sift together the flour and baking powder in a bowl.

Put the butter, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the peanut butter and beat again. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fold in the sifted dry ingredients and milk alternately.

Divide just half the mixture between the muffin cases. Drop a teaspoon of jam into each cupcake case, then divide the remaining cupcake mixture between the cases.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean (except for a smudge of jam!). Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

peanut butter & jelly FROSTING

While the cupcakes are cooling down, make the peanut butter & jelly frosting.

Put the peanuts and oil in a food processor and blitz until smooth.

Put the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until very soft and smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Sift in half the sugar, beating until blended. Add the second half of the sugar and beat on low speed. Add the jam and peanut paste and beat again. Slowly pour in the milk and when it is mixed in, beat for 3–5 minutes on a higher speed.

Put some extra jam, for drizzling, in a small saucepan and heat gently for about 30 seconds or until slightly runny. Strain the warm jam and discard any bits. Let cool slightly.

Spread the frosting over the cold cupcakes using a spatula, or spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle/tip and pipe it on top of the cupcakes. Drizzle the runny jam on top and scatter chopped peanuts over it.