Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

I have featured recipes for Chocolate Gluten Free Cupcakes and some basic Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes. Well, this go around I merged the two recipes to make one super FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC gluten-free cupcake! I know I said before that this gluten-free recipe is fabulous, but I have actually made a change to it that has made it even better, if that is possible. And the addition of peanut butter will just blow your mind. 

I made these for my cousin Ellen's birthday a few weeks ago and she agreed, no one would ever know they are gluten-free and in fact they are WAY better than lots of regular cupcakes out there. Even if you don't have  an aversion to gluten, these cupcakes are an incredibly delicious and healthier alternative to the standard version.

My co-worker Terri's husband, Tom, has a gluten allergy and she asked me to make something for his birthday. I knew immediately I had to make these for him.

He is a die hard Tennessee fan so I tinted the icing orange and made the flags I talked about in my tutorial yesterday. Don't give Tom a hard time, UK fans. Terri bleeds blue so it evens things out. 

Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

1 can (15.5 oz) reduced-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoons unsalted room temperature butter, or coconut oil
3/4 cup sugar
7 rounded tablespoons cocoa*

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 Reese's cups, each cut into 8 pieces

Directions:   

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin pan.

~Blend the beans, 2 eggs, vanilla, and sugar in a food processor (or blender) until completely smooth.

~In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.

~In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the remaining two eggs one at a time and beat well after each. Beat in the bean mixture. Beat in the dry ingredients. 

~Pour the batter into muffin cups filling about 2/3 full.  Cut each Reese's cup into 8 pieces. (Cut them in the same fashion you would cut a pizza.) You should have 48 little chunks. Press 4 of those chunks down into the batter of each of the cupcakes.

~Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

 Peanut Butter Frosting

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1/3 cup butter

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

4-6 tablespoons milk

12 Reese's Minis, for decoration

Directions: 

~Using an electric mixer, cream shortening and butter. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. 

~If icing gets too dry and stiff to beat, add a tablespoon of milk. Once all sugar is incorporated, add the remaining milk if necessary then beat until fluffy, about one minute. (You don't want the icing too thin or it will not stand up on the cupcakes. Lift the beaters or paddle of your mixer and if the icing doesn't fall right away you are good to go.)

~Pipe or spread onto cupcakes and top with a Reese's Mini.

Happy Birthday, Tom! I hope you have a great day and an awesome weekend!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*The original recipe calls for 5 tablespoons of cocoa. I found the batter was just not thick enough and the final cupcake could have more chocolate flavor. I played around a bit and found that 7 ROUNDED tablespoons worked great. It made for a thicker batter and a cupcake with the perfect amount of chocolate flavor. 

To get a rounded tablespoon, scoop out the cocoa without shaking or leveling off the excess. You should have a mound of cocoa in your measuring spoon.