Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cupcakes

The idea for these cupcakes came from a friend who first gave me the recipe, but I've made some adjustments to make them my own. They're deceptively simple and decadent, and since they don't require frosting they're great for traveling, taking to potlucks, or as a lunchbox treat. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cupcakes

1 box chocolate cake mix, any brand
1 stick butter, softened OR 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
3 eggs
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
24 mini peanut butter cups (such as Reese's), unwrapped
Confectioner's sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, butter or oil, water, eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla and beat until well-combined (3-4 minutes on medium speed). Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Press a peanut butter cup into the center of each muffin cup until the top of the peanut butter cup is level with the top of the batter. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the edge of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool, then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder if you want to make them look fancier.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Cook's note: I use an ice cream scoop to fill my muffin cups. It makes all my cupcakes a uniform size and my small ice cream scoop gives me exactly 24 cupcakes out of one cake mix.

Welcome Aboard!

In the maritime tradition, the captain and officers of a ship usually ate much better than a common sailor and it was a great privilege to be asked to dine at the captain's table. I've been fortunate enough to spend a few long weekends plying the waters of northern Michigan on the schooner Manitou, and on that ship, the galley is always open, warm, welcoming, and has something great cooking. There are no weevils in the biscuits here and very little fancy preparation...just me and my love of great flavors and fresh ingredients. Pull up a bench in my galley and enjoy!