Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes with Jelly Donut Cupcakes

I made these Peanut Butter and Jelly cupcakes for a birthday party and the omnis and vegheads both seemed to really like them. The yummy cake base filled with jam and topped with peanut butter frosting really is a good combination. The Jelly Donut Cupcakes are pretty much the same cupcake but instead of using Peanut ButterCream Frosting, you top them with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.



Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes*
[as adapted from Veganomicon and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World]

Jelly Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup sweetened almond milk¹
1 tea apple cider vinegar
2 tbl cornstarch
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tea baking powder
1/2 tea baking soda
1/4 tea ground nutmeg
1/2 tea salt
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup + 2 tbl sugar
2 tea vanilla
1/3 cup strawberry jam¹

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350º and line a cupcake tin with paper liners.

In a mixing cup, combine the almond milk, vinegar and cornstarch and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Create a well in the center of the flour for the wet ingredients.

Mix the almond milk mixture with a fork to dissolve the cornstarch and pour into the flour mixture. Add the oil, sugar and vanilla, and mix well.

Fill the liners with batter 3/4 full. Place a heaping teaspoonful of jam into the center of each cupcake, being careful not to overfill. The jam will sink into the bottom of the cupcake during baking.

Bake cupcakes for 21 to 23 minutes. The tops should be firm. Cool completely on a wire rack. Frost with Peanut Buttercream Frosting.



Peanut ButterCream Frosting

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup margarine, softened³
2 tbl shortening⁴
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tbl barley malt syrup
1 and ½ tea vanilla
1 and ¼ cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 tbl almond milk

DIRECTIONS
With hand mixer, cream together margarine and shortening until smooth. Add peanut butter, barley malt syrup, and vanilla. Beat in sugar. Mixture will be very stiff. Dribble in almond milk a little at a time until the frosting is pale tan and fluffy. Frost cooled cupcakes.

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*alt. version: Jelly Donut Cupcakes- replace Peanut ButterCream Frosting with sprinkled powdered sugar on top of cupcakes.


My preferred ingredients and where you can find them:

1. a. Blue Diamond Almond Breeze SWEETENED Almond Milk (Vanilla or Chocolate)- Sprouts, Whole Foods, Fry's Marketplace

b. Silk Original Soy Milk (Plain)- Sprouts, Fry's Marketplace...most mainstream groceries, even Wal-Mart carries it.

2. St Dalfour's Strawberry Fruit Spread- Sprouts, Whole Foods
3. Earth Balance Original Natural Buttery Spread- Sprouts, Whole Foods
4. Earth Balance Natural Shortening- Whole Foods

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And just for kicks...
[Watch at your own risk. Chicos and Beans cannot be held responsible for seizures triggered by this video or annoying songs that get stuck in your head causing you to sing them aloud at inopportune times.]