Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cupcakes

So I am trying to improve my baking skills because the most baking I do is usually just my chocolate chip cookies. But these cupcakes were awesome! I love the frosting and I feel really cool having made them completely from scratch.

FOR THE FILLING:
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon heavy (whipping) cream
FOR THE CUPCAKE BATTER:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

FOR THE FROSTING:
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream

Line 12 standard muffin cups with liners and set aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
In a medium bowl with a hand-held mixer or by hand, beat together cream cheese, peanut butter, honey, confectioners' sugar and heavy cream until smooth. Set aside.

TO PREPARE THE CUPCAKE BATTER:
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Lightly whisk and set aside.

With a mixer set on low, beat butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. On medium speed, beat in brown sugar until light and lump free. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until fully incorporated, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla until blended. Add flour mixture in two portions, alternating with buttermilk in one addition until smooth and just blended.

Fill each muffin cup one-third full of batter. Drop a heaping teaspoon of cream cheese and peanut butter mixture into center of each cupcake, gently nudging it into batter. Continue to fill each cup with more batter until each is nearly full.

Bake in center of preheated 350 degree F oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed with a fingertip, about 20 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool cupcakes in the tin for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely before frosting.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:
With a mixer on medium-low speed beat together butter, cream cheese, peanut butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. On the lowest speed, add confectioners' sugar alternately with the cream and beat until smooth. Liberally spread frosting onto each cupcake.

Alyssa's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract (I use clear Mexican vanilla)

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate chips, at least 60 percent cacao content

Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.