Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

I have really been slacking in the kitchen lately. Poor Mr.Surly, I'm barely able to scrape together enough food to feed him; I just don't have the energy. I'm going through a "rough patch" medically, waiting for it to pass so I can get back in the kitchen. I have a long list of recipes bookmarked I need to get started on.

I forced myself to make these cupcakes because I have been craving chocolate and peanut butter. Maybe because Target is in Easter mode and I saw my favorite treat; Reese peanut butter eggs. But since my stomach can't handle them right now, I thought I'd try to incorporate these flavors in cupcake, not candy, form.

The result was phenomenal. The cupcakes are moist and spongy, and the frosting tastes just like bakery icing--extremely sugary sweet, which complemented the cupcake perfectly. I even left out some of the sugar the recipe called for in the icing. I'm glad I did that, otherwise, to me, the frosting would have been too sweet and sugary.



I must admit, after eating this cupcake I felt extremely sick; it was not good for my GI issues. I did this to myself, knowing that I'm not supposed to eat chocolate nor peanut butter (both are high oxalate and on my "not allowed" food list). I think I'll let Mr.Surly finish off the rest of the batch.

In the meantime, I think I'll stick to my low oxalate diet so I can feel better and get back in the kitchen.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Printer-friendly recipe
Makes 6 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
½ c milk
½ tsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 c sugar
2 Tbl +2 tsp canola oil (I used flaxseed oil)
¾ tsp vanilla extract
½ c flour
2 Tbl + 2 tsp cocoa powder
¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
Generous pinch salt
¼ c peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl whisk together milk and vinegar; set aside to curdle.

Mix sugar, oil, vanilla into the milk; mix til foamy.

Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, and salt, in batches to wet ingredients. Beat until smooth and no lumps.

Stir in peanut butter chips

Fill cupcakes ¾ full. Bake 18-20 min until toothpick comes out clean. Transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool compeletely.


For the Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting:
¼ c butter
2 Tbl shortening
1/3 c creamy peanut butter (I used TJ’s natural unsalted PB)
1 Tbl maple syrup
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 ¼ c powdered sugar, sifted
1 Tbl milk
mini peanut butter cups, if desired, for garnish

Cream together butter and shortening til smooth.

Add peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Beat.

Beat in sifted powdered sugar, a little at a time, beating on low speed. The icing will become stiff.

Add the milk and beat until tan and fluffy.

Pipe onto cupcakes. Top with mini peanut butter cup, if desired.



Source: halved and slightly adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by Isa Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero