Chocolate Almond Butter Cupcakes (or Cake)

I’ve made this recipe a few times and it has changed each time i’ve made it.  I don’t think it’s “perfect” yet so i’ll probably make it again and yet again until i get it how it appears in my mind.

I really wanted to make some special treats for my youngest daughters 4th birthday and my son’s 1st birthday.  They’re birthday’s are both in August and about 14 days apart.  So i was trying to come up with a 2 for 1 idea that might be suitable for a girl and boy.

Chocolate is always a favorite among the children in my home and almond butter is a MUST have as well.  So i thought i’d combine the two in a cupcake.  The base is my staple chocolate cake recipe and the remaining are additions.  Here are my results.

Chocolate Almond Butter Cupcakes

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cup boiled water

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup organic raw sugar

1/4 cup palm sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 ¼ cup  plus 1 TBSP all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

¼ cup baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp pure almond extract

4 packs of candy peanut butter cups, i used Newman’s Own Peanut Butter Cups

Almond Butter Frosting

Directions

Combine cocoa powder and boiling water in a small bowl, whisking until powder is completely dissolved.  Set aside.

Next, beat butter and sugar until mixture is light and fluffy.  I used a wire whisk and made sure there were no lumps in the mixture.  If using an electric mixture, beat on medium speed about 2 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time and mix after each addition, be sure not to over beat or mix.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Starting with flour, add to the butter, sugar mixture and then alternate between cocoa and water mix.  Beat after each addition, ending with the flour mixture.

Stir in almond extract.  Line cupcake or muffin pan with liners and fill batter to about ¾ full.  Bake in a 350° oven for about 25 minutes or until done.

Cool completely and frost with Almond Butter Frosting.  Add candy peanut butter cups on top, if desired.

Almond Butter Frosting

Ingredients

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup cream cheese, softened

16oz bag of powdered sugar

2 TBSP almond butter

1 TBSP pure almond butter extract

Directions

Whisk butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl until combined.  Add almond butter and mix.  Next, add powdered sugar in small intervals, whisking after each addition.  Last add almond extract.  Frosting consistency will be creamy so cupcakes need to be frosted and then placed in refrigerator until ready to serve.  Top each cupcake with a candy peanut cup, if desired.

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