Monday, April 25, 2011

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

There are a lot of reasons for my long absence, most of them silly excuses. I'm back now, with several recipes. The first of which is... healthy. Crazy right? I still have a preference for the decadent and indulgent, but it feels like it's time to start offering a lighter option at our gatherings.

So I present to you Peanut Butter Cupcakes, 145 calories and 2 grams of fat per cupcake. I was surprised at how perfect the mix of Cool Whip and peanut butter was. It becomes a subtly sweet peanut butter mousse. A perfect accompaniment to the virtually fat free chocolate cake underneath.

The cake is a variation on my favorite vegan cupcake recipe, so the cake without the frosting is vegan. If you want to keep it that way, mix tofu and a little melted chocolate together in food processor. It'll become a perfect chocolate pudding texture and a great topping for the cupcakes.

I garnished the cupcakes with a little chopped peanuts and mini chocolate chips.

I could probably stretch the amount of frosting the recipe yields to 24 cupcakes, but if you need to double the recipe and you like a lot of frosting you might want to double the frosting recipe too.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients until well combined.
Place cupcake liners in cupcake tray and spray with nonstick spray (these cupcakes stick to their liners).
Bake for 20-25 minutes, and let cool before frosting.

Peanut Butter Mousse Frosting

1 8 oz tub of Cool Whip Free
2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter
3-4 tablespoons of skim milk

In a large microwave bowl mix the milk and peanut butter. Microwave for 30 seconds, and then whisk until smooth. (You're thinning out the peanut butter so it will be easier to add to the Cool Whip.) Let it cool for a few minutes and then gently fold in the Cool Whip. Transfer to a piping bag or disposable gallon sized bag (then cut off one of the bottom corners). Pipe onto the tops of the cupcakes.

Store cupcakes in the fridge to avoid melting frosting.

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