Halloween Chocolate Cupcakes With Peanut Butter Filling

This is a paid collaboration with ManiLife.

Can you believe how close we are to Halloween? It doesn't seem like two minutes ago we were having bbq's and soaking up the sun at the beach! It's definitely felt like autumn recently here in the uk, especially with the non stop rain every day. All of my favourite autumn / winter candles have been lit and my baking game is at an all time high, although I'm definitely not complaining.

This weekend I wanted to start on some Halloween baking, I have so many more plans to make some exciting halloween treats this year, but I wanted to start off simple with these delicious chocolate cupcakes with a peanut butter filling. Can we also talk about how cute these cupcake cases and little decorations are?!

I previously worked with ManiLife on my chocolate and peanut butter cookie sandwiches! They gained a lot of positive response, so I was beyond exited to get the opportunity to work with them again on something I believe is even more delicious!

- CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER HALLOWEEN CUPCAKES - 

Makes: 12    Prep Time: 10 mins   Cook Time: 20 mins

You will need:

For the cupcakes:
- 175g self raising flour
- 50g cocoa powder
- 2 flax eggs
- 125ml almond milk (or any other plant based milk)
- 125g vegan butter
- 220g caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- ManiLife original roast smooth peanut butter

For the buttercream:
- 140g vegan butter
- 260g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method -

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with 12 cupcake cases.

2. Pour the almond milk into a small saucepan, along with the vegan butter and stir them together on a low heat. Wait until the butter has completely melted before putting the saucepan aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sieve the self raising flour and cocoa powder and combine with the baking powder, caster sugar and flax eggs. Mix them until well combined either by hand or with a mixer.

4. Slowly pour the milk / butter mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring as you go. Keep mixing until well combined, ensuring there are no lumps.

5. Pour the cake mixture into the cupcake cases, filling each of them 3/4 of the way. This should only be able to make 12 cupcakes.

6. Place the cupcakes in the preheated oven and bake them for 20 minutes.

7. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and check that they are definitely cooked by placing a skewer through the middle of one of them. If the skewer comes out clean then they are done. Leave the cupcakes to cool for at least 15 minutes.

8. Once the cupcakes have cooled, slice a small hole through the top of each cupcake, making sure it is deep enough to place enough peanut butter in. Use a teaspoon to gently pour in the ManiLife smooth peanut butter into each cupcake.

9. Once each cupcake has been filled with peanut butter, start making the vegan buttercream! Add the vegan butter, vanilla extract and icing sugar to a medium sized bowl and whisk them together until it forms a light and creamy consistency.

10. Pour the buttercream into a piping bag and swirl the icing onto each cupcake, working from the outside and finishing it off in the middle. Use whatever decorations you like, but I added a small amount of gold sprinkles onto each cupcake and finished them off with some cute halloween sticks I found in Homesense.

These cupcakes are seriously amazing and definitely don't have to be just for halloween! I'm even tempted to make a big birthday cake with this recipe!

What halloween treats will you be making this year?

Love Always,

Shannon x