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!
- 1 ¼ cups unflavored soy or almond milk, divided
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 1 cup organic granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup vegan butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mini vegan chocolate chips (optional)
- ½ cup vegan butter, room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup unflavored soy or almond milk
- 2 cups organic powdered sugar, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste - less if using salted peanut butter)
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Whisk ¼ cup of milk and flaxseed together in a small bowl and allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes to gel.
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While the flax mixture sits, preheat the oven to 350° and line a 16 cavity muffin tin (or a couple of tins) with papers.
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Using mixer on high speed, beat the sugar and butter together in a large mixing bowl, until creamy.
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Add the vanilla and flax mixture, and continue to beat until well blended.
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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.
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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.
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Add another third of flour, beat until blended, then beat in the last third.
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Use a spatula to fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
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Distribute the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
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Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
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Remove the tin(s) from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool while you prepare the frosting.
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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.
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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.