When we were kids, my friends had these sandwiches called "Fluffernutters" for lunch at school. I was intrigued by them, and asked my mom if I could have one. Turns out my mother didn't think marshmallow fluff and peanut butter sandwiched between two slices of white bread was a nutritious lunch, and we were "deprived" of fluffernutters as children. I didn't even try marshmallow fluff until years later while at sleepaway camp (translation: mom wasn't there to see me try it). But when I decided to bake some cupcakes to demo some decorating ideas (see "Background" below), I decided I'd play around with the idea of a fluffernutter....in a cupcake! Enter my Fluffernutter Cupcake -- a yellow cupcake filled with marshmallow fluff, and covered in peanut butter buttercream!
Background: I've become a little obsessed with planning the perfect birthday party for B. I spent the better part of my day off yesterday looking for cupcake decorations, decorating ideas for B's birthday cupcakes, and cupcake liners that go with my color scheme (I already decided what cake I'll be baking). And yes, I realize that his birthday party is over 5 weeks away (37 days to be exact), but since I found the inspiration for the "headliner" cupcakes (on Pinterest, no less!), I figured I should try to practice the decorations in advance. Since, you know, the week leading up to B's birthday party is insanely busy for me work-wise, and knowing myself I will have to have "all my T's crossed and my I's dotted" well before that week arrives (don't worry, the birthday party decorated cupcakes won't make it into this blog post....on the off chance that B looks at the blog...And because I need to keep some element of surprise!). So on my day off I decided to bake up some cupcakes to decorate as a sort of test run for the birthday party. Enter the Fluffernutter Cupcake!
Fluffernutter Cupcakes
Cupcake idea by yours truly, each component listed with it's source
Yellow Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients:
4 cups plus 2 Tbsp cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken
Marshmallow fluff, for filling cupcakes
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a cupcake tin with liners.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy.
Beat in vanilla.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition.
At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled).
Add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.
Fill the baking cups about 2/3 of the way full.
Bang the pan against the counter a few time to let out air bubbles.
Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and allow to cool completely.
Peanut Butter Buttercream
From Robicelli's, found here
Ingredients:
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
Directions:
Cream together butter, peanut butter, and salt with a mixer set to high until light and fluffy.
Add powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating well between each addition.
Add heavy cream.
Once combined, taste for flavor. I have never not added more peanut butter - I start with heaping Tablespoons until I find the desired peanut butteriness that I want.
Continue to beat on high for an additional minute to incorporate air.
Assembly
Once completely cooled, cut a small crater in the center of each cupcake with a small paring knife or very carefully with a melon baller (these cupcakes are very fragile).
Pipe some marshmallow fluff (about 1-1.5 teaspoons) into the newly cut hole in the center.
Allow the fluff to settle for a few seconds -- you may need to refill it a little as it settles a little.
Using the piping tip of your choice (I used star for some and round for others), pipe icing onto filled cupcakes.
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