Naughty Cupcakes

My friend, Charles, recently had a birthday party picnic in Central Park. I volunteered to make cupcakes for the occasion because I'm a good friend like that! I was perusing different recipes that used peanut butter or vanilla in some way as I was told that was Charles' preference.

There were a few recipes I saw and liked, but was concerned about having to take frosted cupcakes on the subway with me. And the idea of manhandling cupcakes in the park to ice them once I arrived grossed me out a little bit (bleck! Yucky subway hands). When I came across these cupcakes, I thought they were perfect. They were peanut butter. They were self-frosting. They were vegan.

Oh yeah. Did you notice that vegan slipped in there? Naughty little vegan.

Now, obviously, given my proclivity to nutritional yeast, tempeh, and tofu, vegan food does not scare me. However, I knew if I told people that these cupcakes were vegan, they'd be less inclined to try them, assuming that they tasted like turds. Rather then not make them, I figured I would go the more honorable route and deceive! Well, more like withhold information until Happy Birthday was sung and cupcakes were consumed.

This also helped me avoid the non-compliment compliment, "They're pretty good for vegan."
Gee, thanks, I think.

Self-frosting Peanut Butter Cupcakes - Vegan!

from My Sweet Vegan

Cupcakes Ingredients
2/3 cup plain soymilk (or almond milk)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting Ingredients
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup plain soymilk

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line one dozen muffin tins with cupcake papers.
2. In your stand mixer, combine the soymilk and vinegar, and let sit for a few minutes before whisking vigorously until frothy. Mix in both sugars. You can also use a handheld mixer or even a whisk.

3. Grind the flax seeds into a powder with a spice grinder, and whiz them together with the water.

4. Stir the flax seed mixture, peanut butter, applesauce, and vanilla into your mixer, and beat until thoroughly combined.

5. In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until there are no more lumps, but be careful not to mix more than necessary.
6. In a separate bowl combine all of the ingredients for the frosting, and blend until completely smooth.
7. Divide your batter equally between the prepared muffin tins. Drop a dollop of frosting into each cup of raw batter, and swirl it around with a toothpick, covering the entire top.

8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. When testing for doneness, be sure to find a spot that is free from frosting, as it may cause the toothpick to appear wet, even if the cupcakes are ready.