Recipe: Gluten Free Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cupcakes

My mom was diagnosed with Gluten Intolerance (thankfully NOT Celiac, but it's still pretty bad) a few years ago, so it's been an experience to figure out gluten free baked goods that she can handle. Having been able to eat things with flour for most of her life, the change has been challenging. So I am always on the look out for recipes that will work to help her not feel left out or having to eat something inferior tasting while we munch on good foods.

So in gearing up for our next movie theme (which is in two weeks, but I will announce another day) I went in search for the perfect GF cupcake recipe. I couldn't find anything that I liked, so I decided to modify existing recipes I've tried for other things and come up with my own. I have to say mom is a very happy camper with these, so I think this will be a success for anyone else wanting to bake them, too.

**This recipe makes a dozen regular sized cupcakes or 6 jumbo cupcakes**

Ingredients:

Cake:
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup butter
⅔ cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
¾ cup plus ½ tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
cupcake liners


Filling:
½ stick of butter, softened
1 cup of powdered sugar
¼ tsp of vanilla extract
½ cup of creamy peanut butter
½ tsp of milk
couple handfuls of heath toffee bits


Frosting:
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
⅓ cup cocoa powder
1/8 cup heavy cream


Directions:

Cake:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and chocolate and melt in 30 second increments until the butter is melted; whisk until the chocolate butter mixture is smooth.
Whisk in the brown sugar, then eggs - one at a time - and mix until smooth.
Sift the cocoa powder into the mixture mix until combined.
Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ full.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick test comes out clean (15-20 minutes for smaller cupcakes).
Let fully cool before coring out the center of the cupcakes for filling.
**When cooling, the cupcakes may "deflate".**

Filling:
With a mixer mixer, on medium high, cream butter and peanut butter together for 2-5 minutes until mixture is creamy and smooth (it will be a lighter in color peanut butter look).
Add your powdered sugar and mix until fully incorporated (slowly).
Continue mixing on medium high for 1 minute
Add vanilla and milk, mix for another minute. Filling should be thick and creamy. If it is not the consistency you want, continue mixing until desired consistency.
Do NOT begin filling cupcakes until they are fully cooled.
Take pastry tip and bag to fill (ziplock bags can be cheaper than disposable pastry bags) cupcake. If you do not have pastry tip or bag, use small spoon. Fill to the level of the top of cupcake.

Frosting:
In large bowl, beat softened butter, peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
Slowly mix in powdered sugar and cocoa until combined.
Add heavy cream and whip at least two minutes until light and fluffy.
You can either use a pastry bag and tip to frost, or just use a knife. Whatever you prefer. Top with more toffee bits.
**If frosting is too thick, add more cream one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. If frosting is too thin, add more sugar one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.**