NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER DAY! VEGAN TRIPLE-THREAT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER FILLING & KAHLUA GANACHE ICING

I haven't posted any dessert recipes for a while, so, it being National Peanut Butter Day and all, I decided that the time has come to blog a recipe I devised in 2007 for my now-defunct Vegan Feast newsletter. (Of course, you can use another nut butter if you or a loved one or guest is allergic to peanuts.)  These babies are not what I would call low-fat, but, at 225 calories each, they are not excessively rich either. (The "triple-threat", BTW, is cocoa powder, semisweet chocolate, and chocolate liqueur.) Mmmmmm!

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S TRIPLE THREAT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER FILLING (or use other Nut Butter)

(For GF, I'm sure an all-purpose GF flour mix would work in the batter.)

Makes 24 cupcakes

A delightful treat containing two of my favorite things—chocolate and peanut butter.  I kept the fat as low as I could, while still producing a moist, triple-chocolaty, peanuty-rich treat.  My guests and granddaughters gobbled them up. PS: They are not as complicated as they look! The Filling and Ganache can be made ahead of time. You may have to bring the Ganache to room temperature to spread properly if it is quite cold.

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

1/2 cup natural smooth peanut butter (or use another favorite nut butter, if you prefer)

1/2 cup (1/3 of a 12.3 oz. box) extra-firm SILKEN tofu, crumbled

1/3 cup soft brown sugar

2 Tbs maple syrup

2 Tbs nondairy milk

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

GANACHE ICING

4 oz (preferably organic fair trade) dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup nondairy milk (preferably rich full-fat soymilk, nut milk, or non-dairy creamer)

1/4 cup extra-firm SILKEN tofu, crumbled 

1 Tbs chocolate liqueur (Kahlua), or chocolate flavored syrup for fancy coffees or Italian sodas

CUPCAKE BATTER

Mixture A (Cocoa Mix):

3/4 cup (preferably organic fair trade) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder

3/4 cup boiling water

1/2 cup nondairy "buttermilk" (scant 1/2 cup soy milk or nut milk with 1/2 T. lemon juice added)

Mixture B (Dry Mix):

1 3/4 cups sifted wholewheat pastry flour (measured AFTER the coarse bran is sifted out)

1/3 cup white unbleached flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 oz (preferably organic fair trade) dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips

Mixture C ("Butter" Mix):

6 Tbs vegan butter (try my palm oil-free Buttah)

6 Tbs unsweetened, smooth applesauce

1 1/2 cups soft brown sugar

1/2 cup plain soy or other vegan yogurt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract        

Making the Peanut Butter Filling:

Process all of the ingredients together in a food processor until very smooth.  Scoop into a bowl and refrigerate until time to use.

Making the Ganache:

Process the chocolate finely in a DRY food processor.  Leave the chocolate in the processor.

          

Whip the soymilk and silken tofu together in the blender or with a hand blender until VERY smooth.  Heat it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until almost to the boiling point. OR microwave it in a microwave-save bowl for about 1 minute at 50 percent power, or until very hot, but not boiling.  (If the mixture seems to curdle at all, blend it again until smooth.)

                                                                          

With the motor running, pour the hot soy creme in through the feed tube.  Process until the mixture is smooth.  Add the liqueur and process briefly.  Scoop into a bowl, cover and cool.

Making the Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and place 2 racks in the lower and middle third of the oven. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with parchment or silicone cupcake liners.

Mixture A (Cocoa Mix):

Place the cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl. Add the boiling water and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Whisk in the "buttermilk" until well-combined. Set aside.

Mixture B (Dry Mix):

In another medium bowl, whisk the flours with the baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Stir in the 4 oz. chocolate chips. Set aside.

Mixture C (“Butter” Mix):

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the vegan butter and applesauce with the sugar until it's light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the soy yogurt and and vanilla.

Mixing: To  Mixture C (“Butter” Mix), add 1/2 of Mixture B (Dry Mix), stirring with a wooden spoon; then add half of Mixture A (Cocoa Mix), stirring again with a wooden spoon.  Repeat this procedure once again with the last halves of Mixture B and Mixture A.  Do not overbeat—blend just until the mixtures are blended (like muffin batter).

Carefully spoon 1/2 cupcake batter into the lined muffin cups.  Scoop about 1 Tbs. of the Peanut Butter Filling into the center of each muffin cup of batter, pressing it gently down into the batter a bit.  

When you have filled all the muffin cups, spoon the remaining batter evenly over each mound of Peanut Butter Filling-topped chocolate batter, completely hiding the filling.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are springy and test done when a cake tester is inserted into the side of one.  (They may have sunk a little in the center, but that's okay!) Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. When the cupcakes are cool, ice them with the Ganache (you may have to bring it to room temperature to spread properly if it is quite cold).

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per cupcake): 225.9 calories; 33% calories from fat; 9.1g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 154.7mg sodium; 211.3mg potassium; 35.4g carbohydrates; 3.0g fiber; 18.6g sugar; 4.5g protein; 4.7 points.

Enjoy!