{Vegan} Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

I have a huge announcement, you guys. It’s big. It’s not a bun in the oven. No.

We’re moving again! Yippeee!

Or whatever.

Okay. The truth is, I’m SUPER EXCITED, because you guys WILL NEVER GUESS where we’re moving to.

But also, um…already?! We’ve only been in Oregon a year, dang it.

Bittersweet. That’s the word, right?

You’re probably wondering where we’re moving, huh? Well, tough. >:) I’m not telling…yet. You guys remember when I had “Where in the World is Bakingdom?” for our last move, and I gave you guys hints, and then gave away prizes to the winners?

Well, I’m doing it again! In a couple of weeks, I’ll share some hints and clues with you guys, and then I get to give away a really awesome prize. Or two. Maybe even three. (So if you already happen to know where the Bakingdom family is headed, SHHHHH!! Tis a secret!)

But for now……..how about these cupcakes?

I’m sticking with making treats for Father’s Day in true dad style today with these cupcakes. Once again, these were inspired by the Hubster.

Obvi. I mean, he is the dad ’round these parts.

These cupcakes should just be called “The Hubster”. They’re so him.

Of course, in all actuality, we took to calling them DFCs. Damn Fine Cupcakes.

Cause they are.

Hubs is a big stout fan. This isn’t the first time that I’ve added a bit dark brew to goodies for him (and I’m sure it won’t be the last). Aside from the beer, though, I also wanted to a peanut butter-chocolate combo for him – his fave.

Happily, this is now officially the Hubster’s favorite cupcake ever.

Don’t be scared away by the beer. Truly.

Full disclosure: not only do I not particularly prefer peanut butter and chocolate (I like it, in small doses), I also don’t like beer. Remember that I said all that. Tis important. Also important: these can be made vegan!

For my cupcakes, I chose to use Ninkasi Brewing Company’s Oatis oatmeal stout. The Hubster loves this beer. Like, a lot.

I didn’t just put the beer in the cupcakes, though. I really wanted the stout to be a prominent part of these, and while you can taste the beer in the cupcakes themselves, it is on the mild side. It pairs up with the chocolate for fabulous flavor. I didn’t want to put the beer in the frosting, though, since I’m not a beer lover.

Hey, I want some cupcakes, too!

The solution? A caramel-like, peanut buttery, boozy beer glaze to drizzle over the cupcakes. It was the perfect idea, becuase then I could leave some plain for the non-beer lovers.

I was shocked, shocked, at how much I loved these cupcakes. I had two things against me from the get-go, and still, I loved them. The cupcakes themselves are rich and dense, yet still light somehow. They have a beautiful chocolate flavor, that the stout beer only serves to enhance. As for the frosting, oh lordy. We all found the frosting utterly irresistible. I’m glad I piled these cupcakes high with peanut butter goodness, because it was fantastic. The sweet and salty combo stood out perfectly, and married wonderfully with the chocolate cupcakes.

Admittedly, I wasn’t a fan of the glaze. It’s very boozy, in my opinion, but the Hubster and all of his co-workers raved about it. If you’re not a big beer fan, you’ll probably still love the cupcakes, but I would recommend skipping the glaze. I drizzled half of my cupcakes with the glaze, and left the rest plain. It was a perfect compromise.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes {Printable Version}
with Salted Peanut Butter Buttercream {Printable Version}
and Peanut Butter Stout Glaze {Printable Version}
Makes about 18 standard cupcakes

*Vegan substitutions are listed in parentheses after the non-vegan choices*

**As always, please be sure to double check that all of your ingredients are vegan when making these as a dairy-free option**

Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (margarine, for vegan)
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature (1/2 cup applesauce, for vegan)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup stout beer

FOR THE FROSTING
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature (margarine, or 1/2 margarine and 1/2 vegetable shortening for vegan)
1/2 cup peanut butter spread
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream (soy or almond milk for vegan)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

FOR THE GLAZE
2 tablespoons stout beer
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a small amount of cooking spray in your cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper, or line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the applesauce and mix until combined; stir in vanilla. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Add half of the beer, mixing until incorporated. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined, followed by the remaining beer. Finish up with the finial 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing just until no more streaks of flour remain.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of batter into each cup of the prepared pan and bake 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting: In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar, beating until just combined. Stir in about 1 tablespoon of cream and the vanilla, then beat on high speed for 5 minutes. If the frosting is too thick, add more cream, as needed.

To make the glaze: Whisk the peanut butter and beer together in a small bowl until combined. Whisk in the sugar until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled and frosted cupcakes.

Recipes by Darla