Gluten & Milk Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

(again, apologies for the poor photo quality, using our old camera while the new one is repaired)

Happy Birthday Lisa!!!

A friend has a birthday today and when I ask her boyfriend what her favorite color or flavor was, he didn't really know what to answer, so I asked what her favorite candy was.  He said Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.  So, I decided to make peanut butter cup cupcakes :)  This takes some time as you have to bake, then cool the cupcakes.  Then you have to melt and cool the ganache.  Then you have to put the genache on the cupcakes and allow to set for several hours, and finally the frosting - but well worth the time.

These Gluten and (cow's) Milk Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting are much significantly lower in calories, fat and carbs than most and also higher in protein.  They are absolutely delicious :)  (nutritional info at the end of the post)

Gluten & Milk Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Makes 20 cupcakes

Dry Ingredients:
20 grams Quinoa Flour
40 grams Millet or Sorghum Flour
40 grams Amaranth Flour
20 grams Rice Flour
15 grams Tapioca Flour
2 teaspoons GF Baking Powder
75 grams Dutch Cocoa Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
150 grams Muscovado Sugar

Wet Ingredients:
40 grams Milk Free Margarine softened
2 eggs
1.5 teaspoons GF Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Goat’s Plain Yogurt (can use any milk that you can have)
1/2 cup Goat’s Milk (can use any yogurt that you can have)

Sift all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

Mix all the wet ingredients in a stand mixer (or in a bowl with a hand mixer) until well blended.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer while on low (2) speed.  Once all ingredients are combined, mix on speed 3-4 for a minute or two until well mixed.  Do not over mix!

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake at 180°C (350°F) 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and place on wire rack to cool

Let cupcakes cool completely!!

Next step is to add the ganache

Chocolate Ganache
100 grams Good Quality Chocolate Bar broken up into pieces

20 grams Ghee

Melt the above ingredients together (you can use a microwave or stove top).  Allow mixture to cool (but not set), but you want it right at room temperature.

With a small teaspoon place a spoonful of the mixture on top of the cupcake holding it with your hand – and twist your hand slowly to allow it to run over the cupcake and into all the edges of the liner.  The result will be a glossy smooth layer of chocolate and if it is allowed to fill all the crevices around the edge of the liner - it will look  like a giant reeses cup :)

Allow to cool and set completely – this will take several hours!!!  You must be patient ;-)

Final step is adding the topping

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup Peanut Butter

50 grams Milk Free Margarine softened
350 g powdered Sugar

2-3 tablespoons Goat's Milk (or any milk you can have)

Mix the butter and peanut butter in your stand mixer for a couple minutes.  Then add the powdered sugar slowly with mixer on speed 2.   You can add the milk at any stage when the mix is too dry.  You may use more or less - depending on the consistency that you desire for piping. When all combined, have a taste and adjust to your liking (you can add more peanut butter, sugar etc..).  When you have the right consistency and taste, turn up to speed 4-5 for several minutes until fluffy.  

Pipe swirls (I used Wilton tip 1M with large coupler) onto the tops of each cupcake.  Top with a mini Reeses peanut butter cup.

ENJOY!!!!!

Famous NYC Bakery Chocolate cupcake with Frosting
Serving: 1 cupcake; Calories: 485, Total Fat: 24.4g, Carbs: 62.9g, Protein: 3.9g

Babs GF Chocolate Cupcake with Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
Serving: 1 cupcake; Calories: 321, Total Fat: 13.3g, Carbs: 44.4g, Protein: 4.3g,

Babs GF Chocolate Cupcake (without Frosting)
Serving: 1 cupcake; Calories: 110, Total Fat: 3.5g, Carbs: 14.0g, Protein: 2.5g,