These Self-Frosting Peanut Butter Cupcakes from Sweet Vegan Treats by Hannah Kaminsky come out of the oven fully dressed and ready to devour!
Sweet Vegan Treats
Hannah Kaminsky proves that mighty good comes in small packages.
When I first met and spoke with Hannah many years ago at a bloggers conference, I knew we’d be seeing great recipes, photos, and commentaries with her name attached soon. I was not wrong. Can you imagine that by her senior year in high school, Hannah was already producing award-winning sweets? Her first cookbook, My Sweet Vegan, is the fabulous culmination of her most sought-after treats, each of which was photographed by Hannah herself.
I’ve hired Hannah to photograph several of my desserts for magazine articles and found her—no surprise!—to be the consummate professional: easy to work with, efficient, and pleasant. And the photos, in each instance, were so good that it was hard to choose the one to use. Some of the photos Hannah has taken for me include my Chocolate Almond Torte and Gluten-Free Brownie Bites.
I am thrilled that Hannah is introducing her newest book, Sweet Vegan Treats. Try her incredible Self-Frosting Peanut Butter Cupcakes and enter the contest below to win a copy of the book. (The the holidays quickly approaching, you may also want to try her Peppermint Bark Meltaways.)

Self-Frosting Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Okay, you got me. These treats are not going to pick up a knife all on their own and smear a nice dollop of frosting all over themselves. However, they do come out of the oven fully dressed and ready to devour! The trick is to swirl in a thick spoonful of the peanut buttery cocoa spread before baking them, and presto, your work is all done the instant the timer goes off! Now, if only layer cakes were so self-sufficient…
Ingredients
PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES:
- 2/3 cup plain nondairy milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup coconut sugar or dark brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 tablespoons whole flaxseeds
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING:
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa
- powder
- 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup plain nondairy milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line one dozen muffin tins with cupcake papers.
- In a large bowl, combine the nondairy milk and vinegar, and let sit for a few minutes before whisking vigorously until frothy. Mix in both sugars. Grind the flaxseeds into a powder with
- a spice grinder before blending them together with the water. Stir the flaxseeds mixture, peanut butter, applesauce, and vanilla into the bowl, and beat until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly stir these dry ingredients into the batter. Mix until there are no more lumps, but be careful not to mix more than necessary.
- In a separate bowl, combine all the ingredients for the frosting, and stir until completely smooth.
- Divide your batter equally between the prepared muffin tins. Drop a dollop of frosting into each cup of raw batter, and swirl it around with a toothpick, covering the entire top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. When testing for doneness, be sure to find a spot that is free from frosting, as it may cause the toothpick to appear wet, even if the cupcakes are ready. Let the cupcakes cool inside the tins for at least 10 to 15 minutes. You can either let them cool the rest of the way atop a wire rack, or serve them immediately for a warm delight!
Recipe Notes
Reprinted with permission from Sweet Vegan Treats Vegan © 2019 by Hannah Kaminsky, Skyhorse Publishing. Photo by Hannah Kaminsky.
I have a copy of Hannah’s new book for one lucky winner this week. Follow the instructions below to enter. The contest ends at midnight on November 13th. You must be 18 or older to enter. U.S residents only, please. Good luck!
My favorite treat would have to be anything chocolate! Probably truffles!
Hi Shira,
Anything chocolate- no doubt about it. You know I agree based on my cookbook, Vegan Chocolate.
Have a good day,
Fran
Dark chocolate truffles dipped, rolled in cocoa.
Hi Renee,
Well, I am with you on cocoa dusted truffles!
Best to you,
Fran
Favorite vegan treat u baked sweet potatoes sprinkled with cinnamon. So simple…tasty comfort food.
Thank you for reminding us that baked sweet potato is a treat and healthy. I keep a few in my refrigerator to reheat and eat.
Best,
Fran
I love a good, chewy, chunky cookie! The larger the better, no bite-sized cookies for me, haha.
Ha! I hear you. Big cookies for all.
Fran
Chocolate chia pudding!
Sounds good to me.
Eat happy!
Fran
Apple pie is my favorite
Karen,
What kind of apples do you like best for your apple pie? Do you make one for Thanksgiving?
Fran
Tahini cookies.
Hi Cassandra,
I love everything tahini. My favorite is the Soom brand.
All best.
Fran