I came across a bottle of PB & J Vodka and knew I wanted to do something really fun with it. I decided to take two things that are really bad for you, fried foods & booze and make a really awesome dessert out of it. Fried PB&J sandwiches are sold at carnivals & street fairs nationwide. I took that concept and did a cupcake version with a PB&J vodka shot on top.

These are perfectly good without the shot, but it definitely adds to the fun. For a different version, you could also make a spiked version of the frosting with the PB&J vodka. For a kid friendly and non-alcoholic version, obviously just leave out the shot.

cheers!

Step 1: Ingredients & Prep

Ingredients & Prep:

Cake:

1 box Vanilla Cake Mix

1/2 cup Peanut Butter- not crunchy

1 jar seedless jelly- 1 spoonful per cupcake

Fry Batter:

Recipe from thekitchn
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups milk
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
5 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder

Fryer:

1 Gallon Canola or Peanut Oil

Peanut Butter Frosting:
Recipe from BrownEyedBaker

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

1 bottle Van Gogh PB&J Vodka

Small Shot Glasses

3 Tbsp Jelly for top of cupcakes after frosting.

Step 2: Bake the Cupcakes

Make the cupcakes according to the package directions, adding half a cup of peanut butter to the mix before incorporating all the ingredients.

This gives the cupcakes a perfect, subtle peanut butter taste, similar to a Nutter Butter cookie.

Allow the cupcakes to cool and then place them in the freezer for at least 30-45 minutes.

Step 3: Fill Cupcakes With Jelly

To fill the cupcakes with jelly, you need to flip the cupcakes over and use the spongy side. Use a pairing knife to carve a small circular whole out of the cake. Spoon the jelly into the cake and place the top back on. It's o.k. if some of the jelly seeps out.

Step 4: Make the Fry Batter

After searching various fry batter recipes, I decided to go with thekitchn's funnel cake recipe. I'm really glad I did because it's perfectly light and crispy.

Whisk the eggs and milk together. Then stir in all of the other ingredients. The batter should be smooth, but it still may have small lumps.

This recipe makes a lot of batter. You have enough for at least 24 cupcakes. You can also use the leftovers to make funnel cakes! :)

Step 5: Deep Fry the Cupcakes

Fill your deep fryer with oil and preheat to 375 degrees F. It should take about 10 minutes. Have a wet washcloth nearby.

When your fryer is ready, use a slotted spoon to completely cover the cupcake in batter. Then use your hands to gently place the cupcake in the fryer. Use the wet washcloth to remove the batter from your fingers.

Through trial and error, I learned the best way to fry these is to place the cupcake on it's side first and then continuously move the cupcakes around with the tongs. The cupcakes are ready when they achieve a nice golden brown color.

Allow the cupcake to cool slightly while you make the Peanut Butter frosting. If the cupcakes are too warm, the frosting will melt.

Step 6: Make the Peanut Butter Frosting

Again, after searching tons of peanut butter frosting recipes, I decided to go with BrownEyedBakers Peanut Butter Frosting. It's really creamy and light and not overwhelmingly peanut buttery.

Place all the ingredients in an electric mixer except for the cream. Use a paddle attachent and beat until creamy. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is smooth.

Place the frosting in a piping bag with tip and generously frost the cupcakes. You can also use a zip-loc bag if you don't have a piping bag and just cut the corner off the tip.

Step 7: Enjoy!

As a finishing touch, place the shot glass on top of the iced cupcake. The shot glass will be stable and won't fall over. Fill the shot glass with 1 oz of PB&J vodka. Microwave two or three tablespoons of jelly for 20 seconds or until liquidly and spoon over the cupcake.

Serve immediately!

Take a shot and enjoy your Deep Fried PB&J Cupcakes!