Delicious Goodness: Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Cupcakes.

I love them.

I love making them and sharing them with other people so I can show them some cupcake love.

And if you could see my camera you would know that I love taking pictures of them. A LOT of pictures.

I made these delicious beauties for Preston to take to work. Fudgy chocolate cupcakes and the creamiest peanut butter buttercream. OH YUM.

I actually sent them completely untasted - which is something I don't normally do. So I waited anxiously - VERY anxiously - for a report back. They were apparently quite popular. And everyone was surprised that they were 100% vegan. Yup. Vegan.

This is a different recipe than I have used before. These cupcakes turned out moist and yummy. Definitely more of a dark chocolate feel to them.

Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract or more vanilla
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Whisk the soy milk and vinegar together. Set aside and allow the milk to curdle slightly.

In a mixing bowl combine the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, almond extract and the curdled milk mixture. Beat until foamy.

In a separate bowl sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Add the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the milk mixture. beating constantly.

Fill the cupcake cups 3/4 full and bake at 350 for 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.

Now lets make some frosting.

Peanut Butter Buttercream

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
1 to 3 tablespoons almond or soy milk
1/3 cup peanut butter

Cream the vegetable shortening and powdered sugar. Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get your desired consistency. I added a little more powdered sugar to get the buttercream flavor I like. Now add the peanut butter and continue beating until completely incorporated.

I also added a little more peanut butter AND some peanut butter extract for the best flavor.

Then frost your cupcakes.

And finally - the added special touch - a quick Chocolate Ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

1/4 cup soy or almond milk
4 ounces (1/2 cup) bittersweet chocolate chips

Warm the milk in a small saucepan on the stove. Add the chocolate and stir constantly until melted.
I put mine in a plastic bottle to make it easier but you can put it in a ziploc bag and snip the corner.