La Vegan Exquise: Chocolate Peanut Butter Proposal Cupcakes

See, I promised we'd get to cake sooner or later! These cupcakes are so named because, between their dense, brownie-like chocolaty chip-packed outsides and their ooey-gooey peanut butter cream-filled insides, they are sure to win anyone’s heart! So, serve them up to someone special when you’re hoping to create a magical moment They’re also great for holidays…or picnics…or breakfast!

Here’s what you’ll need for the cupcakes*:

· 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

· 2 cups soy milk

· 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar

· 1 cup canola oil

· 2 tsp. vanilla extract

· 1 tsp. almond extract

· 2 cups pastry flour

· 1/2 cup regular cocoa powder

· 1/3 cup black cocoa powder (if you can’t find this, just use more regular cocoa powder)

· 1 ½ tsp. baking soda

· 1 tsp. baking powder

· ½ tsp. salt

· 1 12 0z. bag chocolate chips

· 1 cup peanut butter chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and either spray 24 muffin cups well with cooking spray, or line them with festive cupcake liners of your choice.

First, combine the soy milk and vinegar and let the mixture sit for a bit; this will give it time to curdle, helping it mimic the flavor of creamy buttermilk! While the mixture is sitting, combine the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a large mixer bowl and beat (preferably electronically) for at least two minutes. Slowly pour in the soy milk and vinegar combo, and beat until the mixture is very foamy.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through salt), and slowly add it to the moist mixture, stirring all the while (this is why an electric mixer makes this process so much easier…though not impossible). Beat together until the mixture is nice and smooth; a few small lumps are ok, but make sure all the big ones are gone.

Next, pour the cupcake batter into your lined/sprayed cups, and fill roughly three-quarters full. Bake for 17-19 minutes (less if you like your cupcakes gooier, more if you like them cakier). Transfer them to a cooling rack and cool them ALL THE WAY! This is very important for the next step!

While your cupcakes are baking, go ahead and make the peanut butter filling.

Here’s what you’ll need for the filling:

· 1/2 cup vegan margarine, softened (I like Earth Balance for this)

· 1 cup creamy peanut butter (a brand that is salted and blends well works best for this)

· 4 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar

· 1/3 cup soy creamer, plus a bit more to adjust consistency

· 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl (again, an electronic mixer will save you some work here, but it’s not mandatory), beat vegan margarine and peanut butter until the mixture is very light and fluffy. While the mixer is set on low, slowly add about half of the powdered sugar, quickly followed by the soy creamer. Beat thoroughly, and then add the remaining powdered sugar. If necessary, add a little bit more soy creamer to the mixture to make it creamy and spreadable. This recipe should make enough filling to fill and frost all 24 cupcakes. If you end up having leftovers, this filling is fabulous on croissants, bagels, toast, as a fruit dip, and as a frosting for brownies or cookies.

Once your cupcakes are cool, either take one of those nifty cupcake injector tools or just take a regular old knife and slice a silver dollar-sized hole in the center of each cupcake. Take a decorator bag and tip or just a spoon and fill each cupcake with a generous amount of frosting. Once they are filled, frost the entire top of each cupcake (you can choose whether to press the pieces of cupcake you cut out back into the frosting or just scarf them! They're fabulous either way).

You can decorate these any way you like--I just made them for Valentine's Day for our really sweet doormen, so mine are quite pink and heart-centric in the photo. However, they are just as cute with sprinkles, chocolate ganache squiggles, little candies, or colored sugar on top.