Chocolate Black Bean Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream

These cupcakes are gluten-free and can also be easily made vegan 🌱

The cupcakes are soft and chewy like a brownie, and the peanut butter buttercream is a perfect companion to the chocolate base 😋 and they’re super easy to make!

This recipe makes roughly 10-12 cupcakes 🧁

Here’s what you’ll need:

Cupcake:

1 1/4 cup black beans, rinsed & drained.

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

3/4 cup milk or plant-based milk

1/2 cup oats

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 Splash vanilla

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup dark chocolate chunks

Peanut Butter Buttercream:

1/2 cup unsalted butter room temp or vegan butter

1/2 cup natural chunky peanut butter

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Little splash vanilla

Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 & prepare a cupcake baking sheet with liners.

2. Add all cupcake ingredients into a high-speed blender (except for chocolate chunks) and blend on high speed until smooth.

3. Add chocolate chunks into the blender & pulse just enough to mix them into the batter.

4. Pour your batter into your cupcake liners.

5. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Let the cupcakes rest in the pan for a few mins & then transfer to the cooling rack.

7. Once your cupcakes are cooled you can make your buttercream. Combine your butter and peanut butter in a stand mixer until creamy.

8. On low speed gradually add in your powdered sugar 1/4-1/3 cup at a time until combined. Ensure that you scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

9. Mix in vanilla & salt. Your buttercream should be a good piping consistency now, but if it seems a little too thick still you can add a very small amount of milk until it’s perfect.

10. Put your buttercream into a piping bag and pipe it onto your cupcakes.

11. Sprinkle some chopped peanuts on top if you desire.

12. Enjoy and share with your friends and family ☺️