Looking at that picture above, I think we should start a peanut butter bakery. I know it would work. Even if I was the only customer, I’d spend enough to sustain it. There were 14 excellent entries this time, which led us to break our promise: we didn’t choose a top 3. When e from Foodaphilia and I chose our favorites based on the criteria, we discovered that both of our 3rd choices were tied. Rather than hold a tiebreaker, we decided to declare a Top 4. Of course, don’t forget that there are no real winners here because the real prize is the collection of peanut butter recipes here.
We received a few oddballs this time. Actually, we always seem to receive at least one. As they say, there’s always one. Our first entry was received only an hour or two after the call for entries was put out. Unfortunately, there was no recipe, or at least not one that could be posted because the recipe was modified from a cookbook. Still, does that exclude it from our roundup here? Absolutely not! Besides, the owner of the blog says she was removing the blog anyway because she doesn’t have time to continue it. Well I convinced her to keep it around because at least the recipes could still be accessed by people, like me, who have them bookmarked. Other than that, we also received a brazil nut butter recipe which I said was perfectly fine because all us nut butters need to stick together (hah!). However, it was also a brownie recipe… But, not only is it still included in the exhibition, but I thank you, Cheryl from Gluten-Free and Healthy for continuing the tradition of submitting a recipe that doesn’t match the theme!
Read on to see these interesting and outstanding recipes along with the winners of the Third Peanut Butter Exhibition!
Congratulations to the winners! We loved all the recipes, but when it came down to it, we had to choose the winners. Given that we couldn’t choose a top 3, but rather a top 4, I hope you can appreciate how hard this is! I think we should start requiring samples to be mailed to us, making it easier and funner to judge =). On to the peanut butter!
1st Place: Cocoa Buttermilk Birthday Cake w/ Peanut Butter Frosting from Amanda at Slow Like Honey created something much more than a combination of two recipes. I saw this post a few months ago and fell in love with the pictures. I mean seriously, look at that! And don’t forget about the free screen cleaning she provides for your laptop when you check out the pictures.
2nd Place: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Filled Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes With Peanut Butter Buttercream from Jessica at Half Baked and Burning Sugar wowed us with the sheer amount of peanut butter used in her recipe. Not to mention the length of the title really does justice to the quality of the goods.
3rd/4th Place: Peanut Butter & Jelly Filled Cupcakes from Giz at Equal Opportunity Kitchen tied for 3rd place for the always-wonderful combination of peanut butter and jelly in a sweet and convenient package. The silver balls only sweeten the deal.
3rd/4th Place: Peanut Butter Buckeyes from Gluten Free….licious! demonstrated not only a love for peanut butter in her recipe but a very unique and delicious Gluten Free entry!
Runner-Up?: These were an outstanding entry (mostly because they look like mine), but I apologize, I forgot to include the picture in the collage above, so here they are now in full – Dreamy Peanut Butter Cupcakes:
All Entries:
– Right Royal Peanut Butter and Banana Cupcakes from Choos & Chews – a true tribute to the king!
– Peanut Butter-Banana-Chocolate Bliss from CookiePie
– Peanut Butter Eclair Cake from The Crispy Cook
– Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pound Cake from Baking Buddies
– Banana Cupcakes from Vegans Eat – keep the blog up!
– Elvis Cake from Foodaphilia – Excellent cake, too bad it wasn’t in the runnings!
– Double Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes from The Peanut Butter Boy
– Brazil Nut Brownies from Gluten Free Goodness – not quite cake, but still delicious =).
Last but not least is a recipe submitted by Katrina Johnson who has no blog (yet) or picture but a killer recipe!
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling
Cupcake:
3 ounces Dark Chocolate
1/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup + 1T whole wheat flour
1 Cup Raw sugar
2 eggs
1/3 Cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 1/4 T unsweetened Cocoa powder
3/4 t baking powder
small pinch of salt
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t honey
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate and peanut butter in a microwave until smooth in a large microwave safe bowl. (small chunks of chocolate are ok and extra tasty)
2. Add sugar and stir, let cool for about 10 minutes.
3. Stir well for 3 minutes.
4. Add one egg at a time, mixing between each. stir in the applesauce.
5. In a separate bowl mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
6. Pour dry into the wet and mix wet and dry ingredients thoroughly.
7. Add vanilla and honey and mix until blended.
8. Scoop i
nto cup cake cups and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Peanut Butter Filling (*makes enough to fill 8 cupcakes):
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1//2 T Vanilla extract
1 1/2 T Milk. ( I usually use vanilla or chocolate soy milk)
1. Mix all ingredients until well combined.
Chocolate Frosting:
2 ounces Dark Chocolate
2 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 T butter at room Temp.
1 Cup Powdered Sugar.
1. Chop chocolate and keep in a heat safe bowl.
2. Heat cream until bubbly around the edges of pan, pour over chocolate.
3. Let sit for 1 minute, stir to combine.
4. Add butter and vanilla and stir. Let cool for 10 minutes
5. Add powdered sugar and beat until combined. Continue to beat until lighter in color and has a creamy texture.
Assembly:
1. With a small knife, cut a cone shape out of the top of the cupcake. Flip the cone over and remove the cone leaving you with a flat top.
2. Fill the cupcake with the Peanut Butter filling and replace the top.
3. Frost with Chocolate frosting with whatever method you choose.
I’ll be sending out snazzy badges to the winners in the next few days so you can proudly display your achievement on your site, if you wish. Sorry for the delays everyone, but somehow I’ve been busier while on vacation than when at school. I still have some great recipes from the Fourth of July party we had, so expect more updates soon!
Hurray, more recipes. The diet can wait.
What a great round-up, Nick and e! Everything looks sooo delish *swoon*
Wow, these all look excellent! Oh geeze, I think I need to go out and buy some more peanut butter…I might have to dig into my “sandwich only” stash…
And wow, I’m really excited to have gotten second place–thank you!! I hope you enjoy my concoction. =D
Somehow, when I asked if a brazil nut butter brownie recipe fit in with your theme and you said sure, and please send me a brownie, I assumed that it fit. Silly me!
thanks for the gorgeous round up.
Totally a great roundup N – I’m honoured to be in the top 3 – I think everybody did such an amazing job. I need to go collect some recipes now.
Rock on, peanut butter bakers. Rock on.
Wow, I’m soooo excited to be 3rd/4th place…thank you so much! This was so much fun, I’m ready for the next contest!
Lisa :)
wow, who knew my artery-clogging, blood-sugar-spiking, food-coma-inducing cake would be the center of attention here, eh?! I think I need to re-bake this baby up in this honor.
Although they all look great, it’s the winning entry that is totally putting me into a sugar-coma right now – YUM!!
wow a great roundup! how did i miss this event T_T
I can’t believe I missed this event! All the cupcakes look great and well done on the round up kelvin.
Mmmmm. I’m now craving cakes and cupcakes.
You would be my hero if you opened a peanut butter bakery:)
Dee, Forget the diet, enjoy!
Half Baked, I suggest you keep a jar of peanut butter for every task which you may use it for: sandwich, on bananas, on a spoon and of course 1 extra for good measure. And yes, congratulations! I’ll be sending out the badges soon, once I get back to school.
Cheryl, Just razzin on you, no hard feelings and thanks for the entry!
Giz, Congrats! Your entry certainly deserved it!
Lisa, Congrats to you too! Can’t wait to see another awesome entry.
Amanda, I think I’ve seen your post about that cake at least 10 times now, I just can’t stop looking at it. It’s one of the only ones here I would never make, because I just know that I would be unable to control myself.
Veggiegirl, I know, I can’t get enough of the pictures!
Rita, Too bad! Although I still feel bad I missed your last roundup. Next time!
Daphne, Next time for sure!
Sagan, Let’s do it!
I have been on such a cupcake kick lately. These pics look super! Everyone did an amazingly, mouthwateringly good job!!!
Looking at this post has inspired me to get cracking on a gluten free, grain free recipe I have been toying with for PB & J cupcakes. I'll let you know when I get it perfected!
Reading your blog honestly makes me salivate. This post in particular. Time to strap on the apron, rattle some pots and pans, and have an oinkfest!