Lilac Velvet Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Spring is here! And so are my favorite flowers, lilacs!

Purple has always been my favorite color so its fitting that I would have purple hair and my favorite flower would be purple. I have a huge lilac bush in my backyard so every year when the short lilac season comes around I take advantage of it.

I swear these are a lighter purple IRL but isn't this color pretty too!

This year I decided to up it a level by matching my cupcakes to lilacs.

These cupcakes are soooo good! I know the peanut butter frosting sounds a little strange to have on velvet cupcakes and you can use the traditional cream cheese but I urge you to try this! The salty and creamy peanut butter frosting goes perfectly with the rich and dense velvet cupcakes. I've brought these cupcakes to a couple functions and they have been a crowd favorite.

Lilac Velvet Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Makes 12

Ingredients 

For Cupcakes:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup almond milk mixed with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (let sit for a couple minutes to curdle)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp white vinegar

purple food coloring

For Frosting: 
same as here

1/3 cup peanut butter 
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar
1/8 cup almond milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line or oil a muffin pan
2. Sift flour into a large mixing bowl, add sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder
3. In a separate bowl, combine milk mixture, vanilla, olive oil, white vinegar, and food coloring 
4. Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk by hand until there are no lumps. Be careful not to over-mix
5.  Divide batter evenly into muffin pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean
6. As your cupcakes bake, get to work on the frosting
7.  Using a hand mixer or whisk, M=mix together peanut butter, coconut oil, and vanilla until combined
8. Add the powdered sugar and cinnamon and blend until combined
9. Now add the almond milk and beat until light and fluffy

10. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting

What is your favorite flower?