That’s exactly what you think it is. A friend asked me to make cupcakes for a surprise party and my mind immediately went to chocolate and peanut butter. I’m not usually a big fan of cake…well, let me rephrase that. I love cake that’s worth eating but most cake is not that. This cake? It’s that. It’s more than that. It’s the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten. End of discussion.
I usually research a recipe and then do everything I can to make it better for my body. How can I avoid butter? Use less sugar? Make it whole grain? Go totally vegan? Don’t get me wrong. Butter and sugar and eggs and cream, in all of their decadent glory, have a very special place in the world. I just get a thrill out of making something equally delicious but far more nourishing. Yeah, I know. Who brought the cool kid to the party? =)
This was not one of those times. I just happened upon the perfect chocolate cake recipe that was coincidentally vegan (well, if you use vegan sugar). I did my own thang with the frosting because the one alongside the cupcakes had way too much butter. This was not so much an “I’d rather not have my butt double in size this evening” decision and more of a “butter makes my belly hurt” decision. I went with the suggestion of a vegan recipe and used cream cheese (right, not vegan) but I couldn’t bring myself to use the vegan version. You see, as much as I love eating vegan treats, I do not understand eating imitation ingredients. By that I mean…what the heck is vegan cream cheese? Or vegan chicken tenders? If I aschew Cheetos and high fructose corn syrup, why would I think highly-processed imitation animal products are a better choice? No thanks.
I know. Enough blabbing. Get to the good stuff. Here is the life-changing cupcake recipe I’ve been itching to share with you, followed by my version of peanut butter frosting. Please make these immediately…although I suggest eating one and then dropping the rest off with a house full of starving and eager former frat brothers. That was my strategy, at least 😉
Chocolate Cupcakes
from Joy the Baker
Makes 24 cupcakes
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup safflower oil (or canola, whatever you have)
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 cups cold water
Preheat oven to 350* and line 2 12-count muffin tins.
Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk wet ingredients together in a medium separate bowl. Slowly add the wet to the dry, mixing until just incorporated. Pour into the lined pans, filling each cup about 2/3 full (I did more than that and ended up with 23 cupcakes…whoops!). Lick the bowl and the spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes (my oven, Aretha, likes to play games and mine were done in just under 20). Cool on a wire rack completely before smothering in the peanut butter frosting below.
Peanut Butter Frosting
inspired by Ashley from (never home)maker
8 oz. package Neufantel cheese
4 tablespoons Earth Balance (all I had – you can use butter instead)
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Trader Joe’s creamy unsalted – use a non-sugar one, please)
5 cups powdered sugar (I know.)
Put the first three ingredients into your mixer (or into a bowl and use a hand-mixer) and blend until creamy. Add one cup of sugar at a time, blending completely after each addition.
Frost away! A piping bag would be a good idea since this frosting is sttiiiicckkkyy.
I used Joy’s suggestion of adding chopped peanut butter cups on top! Perfect garnish.
Now stuff your face.
happyaspie 