Studded with sweet chocolate chips and topped with rich and creamy peanut butter buttercream frosting, you'd never guess these luscious chocolate peanut butter cupcakes are totally vegan!
Whisk ¼ cup of milk and flaxseed together in a small bowl and allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes to gel.
While the flax mixture sits, preheat the oven to 350° and line a 16 cavity muffin tin (or a couple of tins) with papers.
Using mixer on high speed, beat the sugar and butter together in a large mixing bowl, until creamy.
Add the vanilla and flax mixture, and continue to beat until well blended.
Add the remaining cup of milk, and again continue to beat until well blended. You might notice some separation at this point. This is normal and nothing to worry about.
Add about ⅓ of your flour, and the cocoa powder to the bowl. Sprinkle the baking powder and salt on top of the flour and/or cocoa, and then beat the mixture just until blended.
Add another third of flour, beat until blended, then beat in the last third.
Use a spatula to fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
Distribute the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Remove the tin(s) from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool while you prepare the frosting.
Blend everything with mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, adding the confectioner's sugar in increments to avoid taking a shower in it.
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, top them with the frosting.
This recipe makes a nice big batch of frosting. If you have any leftover, seal it up for later! The nutrition information assumes you are using the whole batch.