Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

I got Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World from the library, and had a little spare time yesterday. So, I whipped up a batch of peanut butter-filled chocolate cupcake goodness, also known as:

Your Basic Chocolate Cupcake

Ingredients:
1 c milk (soy, almond, rice, or regular)
1 t apple cider vinegar (I used balsamic, it turned out fine)
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c oil
1.5 t vanilla
1 c flour
1/3 c cocoa powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

1. Whisk together milk and vinegar in a large bowl. Set aside for a few minutes. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla to milk mixture and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat till no large lumps remain.
2. Pour into liners, filling three-quarters of the way. Bake 18-20 minutes at 360 degrees. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely.

Fill with Peanut Buttercream Filling/Frosting:
1/4 c softened margarine
2 T shortening
1/3 c creamy peanut butter
1 T molasses
1.5 t vanilla extract
1.25 c confectioner’s sugar
1-2 T milk or creamer

– Cream together margarine and shortening with handheld mixer until smooth. Add peanut butter, molasses and vanilla and beat until very smooth, 2-3 minutes. Beat in sugar and dribble in milk a little at a time, beating continuously till frosting is very fluffy. I had a piping attachment for my pastry bag. I stuck it into each cupcake and filled it with peanut buttery goodness. YUM!

Top with Rich Chocolate Ganache topping:
1/4 c milk
4 oz semisweet chocolate chips
2 T pure maple syrup

– Bring the milk to a gentle boil. Immediately remove from heat and add the chocolate and syrup. Mix until fully melted and smooth. Set aside till ready to use.

(I also topped some with the Peanut Buttercream Frosting. Yum.)

They are seriously AMAZING. Like, eat-three-cupcakes amazing.

(Yeah, so maybe I ate three.)

(Today.)

(Don’t judge me. I’m going running.)

PS: Isa Chandra Moskowitz, I love you. Please don’t be mad for me putting your delicious recipes on the internet. I just want more people to know how great vegan baking can be! Also, seriously, I LOVE YOU.