Halloween was a big deal for me as a child. My elementary school did it right with costumes and class parties that were very elaborate, put on by our teachers and a whole slew of PTA members. Our apartment community manager also hosted a party after school for all of the community kids and her parties always had those big folding tables, covered in orange plastic tablecloths, filled edge-to-edge with brightly colored treats from the grocery store and festive decorations. Between those 2 celebrations and then trick-or-treating at the end of the day, I absolutely loved Halloween and still do to this day! One of my fave Halloween candies from childhood were peanut butter cups and that’s what inspired this recipe… slightly fudgy dark chocolate cupcakes, filled with a good amount of a peanut-butter-cup-style filling, then topped with a whipped chocolate “buttercream” frosting. Though they sound insanely sweet, I promise they’re not. They’re the perfect balance of sweetness, textures, and chocolatey goodness!
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Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder https://amzn.to/4e1kcuq
King Arthur Black Cocoa Powder https://amzn.to/4hf4HC1
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Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
Ingredients
- For the cupcakes:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder + 1 tablespoon black cocoa powder (or sub more dark cocoa powder)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 cup boiling water
- Ener-G Egg Replacer for 2 eggs (follow instructions on packaging and prepare in advance)
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar For the filling:
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt For the frosting:
- 2 sticks of vegan “butter,” softened at room temperature
- 1/4 cup coconut cream, shake the can before opening
- 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Directions
- For the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 cupcakes pans by lining them with cupcake papers. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir well to combine. Add in the remaining ingredients for the cupcakes and stir just until fully combined with no lumps remaining.
- Fill each cupcake liner halfway with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, rotating pans halfway though the bake time. When done, allow the cupcakes to cool fully before coring and frosting. While the cupcakes bake, make the filling. For the filling:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients together and stir very well to combine.
- Dump filling mixture out onto cutting board or counter and work the dough-like mixture into a smooth ball. Cut the ball in half then roll out each half into a 12″ long log. Cut each log into 12 pieces for a total of 24 pieces. Place the pieces onto a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and put in the fridge until needed (within frosting directions). When the cupcakes have cooled fully, make the frosting. For the frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 sticks of softened vegan “butter” with the coconut cream and whip until smooth and slightly fluffy. Add in the cocoa powder and salt, and 1 of the 4 cups of powdered sugar, and beat until the cocoa and sugar have been incorporated. Add in the remaining cups of powdered sugar one at a time until all have fully been incorporated. Place frosting in fridge while you core the fully cooled cupcakes.
- Using an apple or cupcake corer, remove the center of each cupcake nearly to the bottom. Grab the filling from the fridge and push a piece into the center of each cupcake.
- Once all cupcakes have been cored and filled, grab the frosting from the fridge and transfer it into a large piping bag with tip of choice attached and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes – alternatively, you can just use an offset spatula or knife to frost the cupcakes with the frosting. Decorate as desired (optional). Cupcakes will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temp before serving for best flavor and texture.
Compassion is the Secret Ingredient 