Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Peanut Butter Icing

The end of exams is approaching, which means people are starting to pack up their things to fly back home for the summer. Two of my roomies are going back to Calgary for the summer and I am getting all sad and concerned over here. Two new people will be living in my house while they are gone, and I don’t know how I feel about it. Strangers! In my kitchen! In my bathroom! Obviously we all want to come visit each other, but we wont really be living together again until September. But wait! Even then, Riley is going to Paris for first semester!

As sad as it is to see my friends leave Vancouver, I am also excited for life in Vancouver when I’m not in school. Afternoons on the beach, picnics and summer food, going out at night and not shivering my ass off…. it will be a good time.

I made these cupcakes for an indoor picnic we had the other day (rain=indoor). Wine, cheese, baguettes, wine, chicken, cold-cuts, chocolate, pate, wine….and these. Everything was delicious- so much so that I ate everything and had to lie down and spread out like a beached whale. Cute. These cupcakes are super moist and light, while the icing is rich and slightly savoury (salty and sweet). I stole the recipe from My Little Celebration.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Peanut Butter Icing

Cupcake

• 1 cup soymilk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

Frosting

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 heaping tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

In a medium size bowl, add soymilk and vinegar and let sit for a few minutes. Whisk, then incorporate the oil, sugar, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and beat until thoroughly combined.

Pour batter into muffin tin, filling up 9-10 cups, and bake for 17-20 minutes. Remove and cool for a few hours.

For icing, beat butter until fluffy. Add peanut butter and confectioners sugar. when it gets hard to beat, add cream, then add cinnamon. Place icing in a piping bag and decorate cupcakes as you wish.

Happy Baking! xxox