cross-country food swap!

I'm positively tickled to near death to share with you about my most recent experience in a blogger food swap!  Austin food bloggers were paired with Boston food bloggers and some amazing swap-age is going on!  I was paired with the most awesomsauced Fred of grownaway.blogspot.com and I received an incredible box full of goodies!

#1: Popcorn Cobs from Enterprise Farm

#2: A homemade batch of gluten free-vegan peanut butter cookies! (...that I've already devoured!)

#3: Birdwatcher's Blend Coffee from Dean's Beans 

#4: Maple Syrup from Cook's Farm & Bakery 

#5: Plum/Spiced Port Jam

#6 Chipotle Chili Chocolate Mexicano discs from Taza Chocolate 

#7 Pineapple Salsa 

Take a hop over to say hello to Fred and check out the delicious recipe he used to make the cookies that have already disappeared!  

chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting {to-go!}

Oh, lawwd-have-mercy, let's take this moment to talk about how amazing peanut butter and chocolate are together.  Apparently, this isn't a novel combination and it seems that other eaters out there share my deep and raunchy love for the pb&c combo.

One person in particular who shares this love would be Pete.  Pete who's birthday is today.   Pete who takes residence across the country from me.  Yes, that Pete.  Clearly, he's in need of a birthday cake.  No problemo, I say.  I'll bake a cake in a jar and send it on it's merry way right to your doorstep via postal service...hopefully fast postal service.

Despite my confident front, in all actuality, I still have no clue how it will turn out at the point of arrival.  I'll get back to you on that after I receive the recipient's report!

This decadent chocolate-peanut butter dessert boasts a rich dark chocolate cake, peanut butter-cream cheese frosting and is topped with a hefty handful of chocolate sprinkles and peanut butter chips.

And you thought mason jars were just meant to hold grandma's ole pickled beets...pshh. 

Happy birthday, Petie.  There's no way the contents of these jars can be as sweet as you.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

{served in mason jars!}

For the cake: 1 cup flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/8 cup dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 egg

For the frosting:
5 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoon butter, room temperature
pinch of salt
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
chocolate sprinkles, to garnish
peanut butter chips, to garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Remove lids from mason jars; Set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer. 
3. Add add sour cream and oil and mix on low until completely mixed.
4. Add water in 1/4-cup increments.
5. Add vanilla, vinegar, and the egg, mixing on medium until combined. 
6. Pour batter into empty mason jars, filling until 1/2 full.
7. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted in a center cupcake comes out with moist crumbs attached.  (Time will be heavily dependent upon the size jars used.)
8. Let cool completely before frosting.
9. To prepare the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter on high, until creamy (2-3 minutes).
10. Add salt and powdered sugar on low speed until just combined and then beat on high for 2-3 minutes, until the frosting is fluffy.
11. Add peanut butter and mix on high until thoroughly combined.