Cake of the Week: Peanut Butter and Jam Muffins

Peanut butter. Jam. Muffins. These are literally three of my favorite things and I don’t know why it took so long for this recipe to make an appearance in my life.

I don’t eat peanut butter in large quantities, but I do eat it constantly. So that means that I open up my jar at least twice a day, but it takes me about a month to finish it off. I’ve always preferred crunchy, natural, salted (oh hello Trader Joe’s!), but when desperate (i.e. I just finished mine and all there is in the house is some Skippy/Jif leftover from someone else; I’m in a relay van with six other people and we bought food together; Soviet Safeway was out of the good kind; etc.), any peanut butter will do.

It is the universal condiment. Chocolate sauce goes well with most sweet things, and ketchup goes well with most savory things, but peanut butter is the one that can cross the line and work with both! Think about it – peanut butter cookies are great, as is Thai peanut sauce.  (The only flaw in this argument is citrus…peanut butter and citrus is not ok.) (And clearly I’ve thought too much about this – what can I say? Condiments = accessories for food = yum!)

And jam. I feel strongly about jam. People always look at me quizzically when I say I’m having a "peanut butter and jam sandwich," because you’re supposed to say "peanut butter and jelly." But they are not the same thing! Jelly is made out of fruit juice and has no seeds or chunks of fruit. Jam (aka “preserves”) has all the good stuff still in it. And I have always been on team jam, so yes I would like a peanut butter and jam sandwich thank you very much.

Ok back to these muffins. They’re barely sweet and pretty dense, i.e. definitely muffins and not cupcakes sans frosting. They’re not terribly unhealthy, since the only butter is the peanut butter. You can use any jam you like – I started with raspberry, and when I ran out I switched to fig. And they’re pretty awesome straight out of the oven or warmed up in a toaster oven the next morning for breakfast.

I adapted this recipe, using a combination of plain yogurt and water instead of milk. The dough is super-thick, but they turned out well so don’t worry!

Peanut Butter and Jam Muffins

Printable recipe.
Yield: 12 muffins (I tend to make littler muffins, so I got about 18 out of this recipe)
Ingredients:

• 2 all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Jam of your choice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners, or spray each well with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Add peanut butter, and mix on medium speed until well combined and crumbly.
4. Add in egg, yogurt, water, and vanilla, and mix until just combined.
5. Use a medium-sized spoon to scoop about 1 ½ tablespoons of batter into each muffin well. Shape a little well in the center of the dough for the jam. 
6. Next, place 2 teaspoons of your favorite jam in the center of the muffin batter and top with another scoop (1 1/2 tablespoons) of muffin batter. If necessary, use a spoon or knife to gently spread batter to cover the jam.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

Printable recipe. 

Cake of the Week: Sluttier Brownies

The Eat Run Read scandalousness continues. Judging by the bloggy success of Sister1’s Slutty Brownies, this next creation might just blow the internet’s mind.  It’s her same recipe, but with one incredibly important addition to take these brownies to the next slutty level: peanut butter. Because on a scale from one to insanely intense, these score HIGH on the intensity side. 

This is not a dessert for the faint of heart. I made them as a goodbye present for my friend who is driving cross-country. Forget the late-night coffee, I bet just one of these bars would equal a few shots of espresso and maybe a Red Bull or two. (Just as Sister1 said, these are dangerous to have around in any quantity.) 

I went the lazy route and used brownie mix instead of making the brownies from scratch. And I am a-OK with that! Let’s be real, mostly I’m re-posting this recipe because the pictures are so fabulous. So without further ado:

Sluttier Brownies

Printable recipe. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Brownie Ingredients: 

• See printable recipe for from-scratch brownie instructions. I used a family-sized box mix this time. 

And:

• 1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos
• About 1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth, whatever you like). 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 baking dish with wax paper and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
• For the Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer: Cream the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well to thoroughly combine. 
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then slowly incorporate into the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. 

• For the Brownie Layer: prepare box mix according to instructions.
• Assembly: Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of your prepared pan.
• Spread peanut butter on top of the Oreos.

• Top the cookie dough with a layer of Oreos. 

• Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos. 

• Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15-25 minutes. 
• Let cool completely before cutting — brownies may still be gooey in the middle when still warm, but will set up perfectly once cooled. 

• Note: To half this recipe for an 8×8 brownie mix, simply half the chocolate chip cookie dough ingredients.

Printable recipe. 

Enjoy!

Cake of the Week: Salty Peanut Butter Blondie Bars

They’re buttery and peanutty and ever so slightly salty – like a shortbread/blondie/peanut butter bar combination, with flecks of dark chocolate for tang and sea salt for depth. Am I in love? Yes. Yes I am.

I first made these bars for a house dinner, and then adapted the recipe (read: added more butter and cooked for less time) to bring them to 4th of July parties over the weekend. They travel and store really well, and taste so much more exciting than their modest exterior suggests.

The recipe is for a 9x13 inch pan, but I baked them in two 9 inch pans to make transportation easier. Oh, and I may or may not have eaten an entire row of bars the night I made them…you may judge me now, but I challenge you to make this recipe and not do the same!


I started with my More is More Bars blondie recipe, but then tweaked it to make the bars exponentially more awesome.

Salty Peanut Butter Blondie Bars

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup peanut butter – I used smooth, but crunchy would be good too.
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cup mini dark chocolate chunks (or you could use semi-sweet chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips)

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, peanut butter, egg and vanilla until smooth.

Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Add the chocolate chunks. Spread evenly in prepared pan (mixture will be somewhat cookiebatter-ish.)

Bake 20-25 minutes. You really don’t want to over-cook them, so err on the side of doughyness.

This may be my new go-to bar recipe. It's way easier than cookies, has the same number of ingredients, and no need to worry about multiple sheets! Easy and de-freaking-licious!

Cake of the Week: Pumpkin Oatmeal Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Some days I’m really ambitious. I make things like cheesecake, or pie, or 6-layer cakes with butterscotch filling. But then some days I’m only a little ambitious. So I make little things. Like these mini cupcakes!

They combine three of my favorite ingredients: pumpkin, oatmeal, and peanut butter. But instead of being in the form of a brimming bowl of oats, they’re in the mini muffin mode.

I modeled these babies on the Oatmeal Cake I made back in May, and then swirled peanut butter cream cheese frosting on top. The cupcakes are much more muffin-y than a normal cake, which I think goes well with the sweet frosting. And at two-bites a cake, they’re the perfect snacking size!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cake Ingredients:


1 cup quick-cooking oats (see note)


3/4 cup water, room temperature


3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour


1/2 teaspoon baking soda


1/2 teaspoon baking powder


1/2 teaspoon salt


1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened


½ cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar


1/2 cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar


1 large egg, room temperature


1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:


1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your muffin tins with paper liners or cooking spray.


2. Combine oats and water in medium bowl and let sit until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

3. In another medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice together.


4. In bowl of standing mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until combined and mixture has consistency of damp sand, 2 to 4 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula halfway through mixing. Add egg and vanilla and pumpkin; beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in 2 additions and mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add soaked oats and mix until combined, about 15 seconds.



5. Give batter final stir with rubber spatula to make sure thoroughly combined. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 15-25 minutes (it really depends on the size of your muffin tins so check on them!). Let cakes cool slightly in pan, at least 10 minutes.

*ATK notes: Do not use old-fashioned or instant oats for this recipe. Be sure to use a metal baking dish; glass pans are not recommended when broiling. If you have a drawer-style broiler (underneath the oven), position the rack as far as possible from the broiler element and monitor the icing carefully as it cooks in step 5. A vertical sawing motion with a serrated knife works best for cutting through the crunchy icing and tender crumb.

For Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe, go to this post.

Make a half-recipe of frosting for one batch of cupcakes (you’ll probably have leftovers). Or make a whole recipe and keep the extra for another mini-baking-adventure!

Cake of the Week: Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

I’m pretty sure we can all agree that peanut butter is fabulous. And judging by the recent pictures from food bloggers, pumpkin is pretty popular too. But does anyone put them together? Nope. BUT I DO!

You’re probably a wee bit skeptical. Pumpkin and peanut butter together? Mollie you’ve lost us – that’s just weird. But don’t lose faith in me, I’d never steer you wrong! I promise, pumpkin and peanut butter is one of the best kept flavor-combo secrets ever!

In high school one of my friends’ mom made delicious pumpkin bread. And she would bring this pumpkin bread to the ski lodge (we were ski team friends) sliced and sandwiching a slathering of peanut butter. At lunch this magnanimous mother would bring out baggies of this richly decadent duo to share with her daughter’s friends. And so my love of pumpkin-peanut butter was born.

It makes sense – pumpkin is kind of sweet and spicy, while peanut butter is rich and almost salty. Like I said, a match made in heaven!

So when contemplating what October dessert to make, of course pumpkin came to mind. But what to do with it? I’ve made pies and cakes and cookies and bundts and brownie bars with this splendid squash. But whoopee pies? With peanut butter cream cheese frosting in the middle? WHOOPIE!

Photoman said that these little sandwiches of awesomeness are his favorite Mollie-dessert ever. Bold statement, and I’ll take it. And here he is making a cameo – aren’t the pictures great?

(Be warned, this recipe makes A LOT of whoopie pies!)

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (from Brown Eyed Baker)

3 cups all-purpose flour


2 tablespoons cinnamon


1 teaspoon baking powder


1 teaspoon baking soda


1 teaspoon salt


1 teaspoon ground ginger


½ teaspoon ground nutmeg


1 cup granulated sugar


1 cup dark brown sugar


1 cup canola or vegetable oil


3 cups chilled pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin)


2 eggs


1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, the dark brown sugar, and the oil together. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.

4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.

5. Use a small cookie scoop or a large spoon to drop a rounded, heaping tablespoon of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.

6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, making sure that the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. The cookies should be firm when touched. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

1 stick butter (1/4 cup)

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

milk or water as needed

1. Cream together wet ingredients.

2. Beat in powdered sugar.

3. Add milk as needed and beat until you reach the desired consistency.

Assembly:

Make sure your cakes are completely cool. Pipe frosting onto cakes and top with another cake of the same size and shape. Enjoy!

Cake of the Week: Peanut Butter Pillow Cookies

I did it again. Pillow cookies. I think I may be in love.

You may be familiar with the Mocha Pillow Cookies I made last week…mostly because I will not shut up about my giveaway! 

But don’t be annoyed – this box of deliciousness could be yours! (Enter the giveaway here.) Well, probably not that box exactly – those cookies are long gone into 6x6’s tummy…

Anywho, I mentioned that the brownie recipe made way more brownies than the cookie dough required. What to do with a half a pan of leftover brownies? Do I hear a call for MORE PILLOW COOKIES??? Of course. Happy to oblige. And these ones took pillow cookies to a whole new level. Brownie center? Check. Peanut butter cookie dough? Check! And then dip them in dark chocolate gnache? Well obviously!

I brought some of these to work, and shared some of them with my roommates. And the rest? Well…let’s just say I had a cookie party…with myself…whoops! 

They are just so freaking good! The slightly salty peanut butteryness plus the rich dark chocolate equals just the right combination. And again, they look impressive. They look challenging. But they’re really not that hard. (Refer to this post for picture by picture instructions on forming the “pillows.”)

For the Fudgey Brownie recipe, go here.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup peanut butter (I used chunky,  because that's what I like)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cup flour

Mix butter, peanut butter, and sugar thoroughly. Add eggs and vanilla and water and beat together. Add dry ingredients and mix in completely.

Refrigerate dough at least 30 minutes (the longer you refrigerate the easier the dough will be to work with).

Form pillow cookies (see directions here). 

Bake at 350* for about 18 minutes.

Cool completely before gnache-ing!

Dark Chocolate Gnache

3/4 cup dark chocolate pieces (I used Dove chocolate)

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Chop the chocolate and put it in a heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan (or the microwave) until it is hot but not boiling! Add the cream to the chocolate, and add the vanilla. Mix until smooth. 

And now for the best part. Take your cooled cookies. Dip them in the gnache. Let the gnache cool/harden on the cookies. Give yourself a high-five. These cookies are awesome!

Cake of the Week: Choco-Coconut Peanut Butter Bars

Happy Friday!

Let’s have an Office Bake-Off!

Those words? Genius. Pure genius.

So I got my bake on…and here is the result. This recipe came from the wonderful Jess – she first made them with white chocolate, then her mama made them with dark chocolate. I took the middle-road and went for a combination of Dove milk chocolate, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Wow.

These Choco-Coconut Peanut Butter Bars are not messing around. They’re intense. They will sucker-punch you in the face and leave you in a laid-out sugar coma. (And I mean that in the best way possible.)

This afternoon they will match up to the best my co-workers have to offer. They may not be the fanciest-looking dessert on the table, but trust me, preliminary taste tests (i.e. me and PhotoMan) show that they are pretty freaking awesome. So let’s hope they can live up to their potential and do some serious damage!

Choco-Coconut Peanut Butter Bars are easy. And portable. And MMMMMMM! If you’re looking for a simple go-to recipe to bring to a picnic, potluck, or Office Bake-Off, this is your answer. I don’t usually bake with cake mixes, but what they heck, it never hurts to try something different. And I happened to have sweetened condensed milk and coconut in my cupboard, so all signs pointed to these bars.

Yep, you only wish you worked in my office.

Have a great weekend!

Choco-Coconut Peanut Butter Bars

 Makes 48 Bars

Preparation time 20 Minutes

Baking time 25 to 30 minutes

 Ingredients:

1 package (18.25 ounces plain yellow cake mix)

1 cup chunky peanut butter

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

2 large eggs

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condense milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup frozen unsweetened grated coconut, thawed or sweetened flaked coconut

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1.  Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 F, set aside an ungreased 13x9 inch baking pan.

2.  Place the cake mix, peanut butter, melted butter, and eggs in a large mixing bowl.  Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.  Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  The mixture will be satiny and thick.  Reserve 1.5 cups of the mixture for the topping.  Transfer the remaining mixture to the pan.  Using your finger tips, press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan so that it reaches the sides.  Set aside.

3.  For the filling, place the chocolate chips, condensed milk, and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium size heavy saucepan over low heat.  Stir and cook until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is well combined.  3 to 4 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the coconut and vanilla until well distributed.  Pour the chocolate mixture over the crust and spread it evenly with the rubber spatula so that it reaches the sides of the pan.  Using your fingertips crumble the reserved crust mixture and scatter it evenly over the chocolate.  Place the pan in the oven.

4.  Bake the cake until it is light brown 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.

5.  Cut the cake into 48 bars.  Remove the bars from the pan with a metal spatula and serve.

Store these bars, covered in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to one week. Or freeze them, unwrapped in aluminum foil, for up to six months. Thaw the bars overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

The Weekend Report: Ode to Peanut Butter

Runners love peanut butter.

Is that an extremely broad and generalizing statement? Yes.

Is it one I’m comfortable making? Absolutely.

Why? Well, it’s really good for you. Peanut butter is jam-packed with all things runners love: protein, fiber, “good” fat, niacin and folic acid (they help convert food to energy), vitamin E, and long-lasting energetic calories!

What to eat pre-workout? Toast with PB. It’s a million times better than any bar on the market.

What to eat post-workout? An apple or banana with PB. Eat it immediately – your muscles need to re-fuel and are most receptive to rebuilding glycogen stores within 30 minutes after exercise. In plain English, that means you will be less sore/fatigued later if you eat something right after you finish working out. Your snack should involve both protein (peanut butter!) and carbs.

But let’s be real here – all health benefits aside – peanut butter is just straight up deliciousness in a jar! You don’t have to be a runner to love it…and frankly, when I dip into my PB, I’m not thinking, Hmm how is this affecting my glycogen stores? I’m thinking PB, yum, now!

Because I’m a firm believer that EVERYTHING is better when dipped in peanut butter (it’s kind of like frosting, but more versatile). The only thing that doesn’t go well with PB is citrus. (And yes, I have put a lot of thought into this…can you think of anything else that wouldn’t benefit from a bit of the nutty stuff?) I mean: apples, dry cereal, graham crackers, cookies, oatmeal, chocolate, toast, bagels, muffins, anything pumpkin, popcorn – all good with PB. And savory food? Ummm peanut sauce? Hello! Delicious.

You may think I’m exaggerating, but really – my PB jar doesn’t live in my cupboard. It just migrates between my kitchen table (where I eat breakfast and read the paper) and my coffee table (where I watch TV/eat dinner/read my book). Putting it away would just be a silly waste of time and energy, because it would only be a matter of minutes before I need to pull it out again.

What has inspired this Peanutty Ode you may be wondering? Well, a birthday box arrived in the mail on Friday, containing nothing less than 3 jars of gourmet peanut butter! And Oh. My. Goodness. I have found my own personal crack. (I’m not advocating drugs here…I’m just saying that PB is my drug of choice).

More specifically, Naturally Nutty Butter Toffee Peanut Butter. Ahhhhhhhhhhh! (Picture angels singing, the heavens opening up, and a beam of divine sunlight shining down on my jar).

Yes. It is that good.

The other two flavors are Mocha and White Chocolate Coconut.

Both are good, but I think that they almost have too much going on. I like my PB with coffee and chocolate…but all three mixed together is a bit much. And the White Chocolate Coconut is delish, but a bit sweet.

So if you’re only going to buy one kind, go for the Butter Toffee. But if you want to try a variety, or you’re looking for a great gift for the PB lover in your life – go for the sample pack – you won’t regret it!

Naturally Nutty is all organic, and has flax seeds added. Also, they have almond and sunflower seed butters if you're not into peanuts. 

The Weekend Report: I Love Paula

"I would step over a person to get me a peanut butter ball"
- Paula Deen

I have blogged about a Food Network star I hate (Sandra Lee), but now I want to tell you about a Food Network star I love. That's right, Paula Deen, in all her southern deep-fried, bacon-wrapped, mayonnaise-y, butter-licious glory. Love her. She's just so jolly!

Now, I don't think I've ever made any of her food...and a lot of it, like I said, is a bit appalling to my Northern Californian/North Easterner/runner taste. But still really enjoy watching her show. (Not her talk show though, I think Food Network stars should to stick to cooking.)

Anyway, the inspiration for this I Love Paula post, is that I saw her this weekend!!! The National Book Festival was in DC on the Mall. I looked at the line-up in advance, and though there were many famous authors there, the only one I REALLY wanted to see was Paula Deen.

I made it just in time to hear her talk at 11:45. (I had to get my workout in pre-festival, and it's amazing how 9am can feel like 5am on a weekend!)

 There were a TON of people, and at first I couldn't really see her over all the heads. But then as the uninterested slowly trickled away (psh - obviously not real fans!) I was able to creep closer and closer until I was, no joke, like 30 feet away from Paula Deen and her husband, Michael Grover. Let me tell you, she was just as over the top in person as she is on TV - she even pulled out a chunk of her hair to show that she had extensions! And her hubby is the cutest old man ever!!! Santa Claus to the max. OMG, I just want to be in their family! Check out this interview with Michael on Butter In My Veins. 

They obviously loved being in front of a crowd, and seemed so down to earth and friendly - basically just like you think Paula and Michael should be. I really can't imagine Paula Deen having any diva hissy-fit, even though she's really famous.

So yes, go me, I saw Paula in person! I've always said that of the celebrities I would like to meet, Food Network stars top my list. Like, what would I say to Brad Pitt??? But if I came face to face with Ina Garten, I would get all ohmygodohmygodILOVEYOU!!! in true junior high fashion.

And that was basically how it was with Paula Deen. I am dying to get myself to Savannah and eat at her restaurant! Anyone? Anyone? Road trip???