Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Buttercream Frosting

I can't believe I forgot to put this recipe in my blog when I made these cupcakes back in August, but better late than never! My friend Tish needed a vegan recipe to prove to someone that vegan desserts can be downright delicious and even BETTER than the ones made with dairy. So I chose one of my favorites, chocolate with peanut butter frosting, because I think it's one of the most decadent recipes that Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World has in it's book.

Basic Chocolate Cupcake Recipe:

Ingredients:

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, chocolate extract, or more vanilla extract (chocolate is best of course, if you can find it, and I buy mine at Cookies).
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed or regular
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
2. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract, and other extract, if using, to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt (sifting is a must!). Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat until no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are okay, just don't over beat/stir, or they will come out gummy).
3. Pour into liners, filling three-quarters of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes (Note: DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN AT ANY TIME, OR YOUR CUPCAKES WILL COLLAPSE), until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. If you leave them in the pans, they might dry out.

After cupcakes are completely cool (usually an hour) you are now ready to frost!

Peanut Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup margarine, softened
2 tablespoons shortening (Earth Balance sticks are the best for this)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon barley malt syrup or molasses, optional (I use molasses)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted icing sugar (known as Confectioner's Sugar) *I sift mine into it's own bowl first, for easy pouring later.
1 to 2 tablespoons rice milk, soy milk, or soy creamer (I use soy milk)

Directions:

1. With electric hand held mixer, cream together margarine and shortening at medium speed until smooth. Add peanut butter, molasses, and vanilla, and beat until very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in sugar, in increments so it doesn't fly everywhere; mixture will be VERY stiff. Dribble in soy milk a little at a time, beating continously til frosting is pale tan and very fluffy. Adjust the thickness of the frosting by adding soy milk or more icing sugar in small amounts if necessary. Frost or fill cooled cupcakes.

Enjoy everyone!