Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

For the cakes:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper cups. Line an 8 inch square Pyrex dish with parchment paper (allow the ends of the paper to hang over the ends of the pan) and grease the paper. Set pans aside.

In a large bowl using a mixer, mix canola oil and butter, Add cocoa and stir until well blended. Add eggs and mix to combine. Add sugar and vanilla, beat well. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix until it’s almost combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Fill the muffin tins about 3/4 of the way full, using about half of the brownie batter. Spoon the other half into the prepared Pyrex dish.

Bake the cupcakes for about 8-10 minutes and the pan of brownies for about 18-23 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting. Using the parchment paper lift the brownies from the pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack before cutting into shapes.

For the frosting:
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or an electric handheld mixer), add the peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, butter, vanilla and salt. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy and smooth. Slowly add the cream and beat on very high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.

To assemble the cupcakes take the cooled brownies and use a 1 inch heart shaped (or any other small fun shape you may desire) cookie cutter to cut out 12 small hearts. Frost or pipe frosting on top of the cupcakes as desired and top each cupcake with a brownie heart.

Note: If you do not want to make brownie hearts, just use the remaining batter to make 12 more cupcakes and double the frosting recipe.