Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes

These cupcakes are fairly low in fat, and since I mistakenly left out the applesauce, they turned out denser and more like brownies than cupcakes.  Feel free to add 1/3 cup of applesauce to the batter (I have done a version with that before) if you want them more cakey.

Brownie cupcakes:

1/2 cup coconut milk drink or lite coconut milk
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup raw cacao (or cocoa) powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt



Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a mini muffin pan.  (I like that size, but feel free to use the bigger ones and increase the baking time.)

Mix together the coconut milk, turbinado sugar, and agave syrup (not pictured - sorry!).  Mix vigorously with a fork or whisk every minute or so, until sugar is dissolved.

Meanwhile, stir together soy milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside for a few minutes to let it curdle.  (This give the cupcakes their airy texture.)  Add to coconut milk and sugar mixture and beat until some foam forms on top.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cacao powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to the wet ingredients and stir until just mixed.  (Don't overmix, or the cupcakes will turn out too hard.)

Edited to add: I made these again, adding 1/4 cup applesauce and 1 tablespoon canola oil to the wet mixture, and they were incredibly moist and delicious.

Pour into muffin tins.  Bake about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Frosting:

6 oz. lite silken tofu (1/2 block of shelf-stable package)
1/4 cup vegan sour cream or cream cheese (I use Tofutti brand)
1 Tbsp vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 c. choc peanut butter

In a blender, whip together tofu, sour cream/cream cheese, margarine, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and cacao powder and blend.  Finally, add peanut butter and whip until desired texture.  Refrigerate at least 20 minutes before topping cupcakes, using a spoon.

A few notes about ingredients:

• If you don't have Peanut Butter & Co dark chocolate peanut butter, I recommend getting some.  It is truly one of the best foods ever invented.  If you try the recipe with regular peanut butter, you may need to add more cacao powder and/or sugar.  If you don't like or can't eat peanut butter, you can leave it out.  Let us know in the comments.
• When using things like maple syrup and vanilla extract, nothing but the pure, real stuff is good enough.  I like grade B maple syrup, because it has a rich, full flavor.  You could try replacing maple syrup with agave syrup (or vice-versa for the cupcakes).
• For the cocoa, I am using Navitas raw cacao powder.  If you're using another kind of cocoa, you may need to increase the amount.  

This recipe is adapted from http://www.chow.com/recipes/10794-basic-vegan-chocolate-cupcake, which took the recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World , by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  Gotta love the Post Punk Kitchen.