Chocolate blueberry muffins with peanut butter cream cheese frosting

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour shop
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed or standard) shop
• ¾ cup granulated sugar shop
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar shop
• 1 tsp baking soda shop
• ½ tsp baking powder shop
• ½ tsp salt shop
• 2 eggs large eggs shop
• ½ cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable) shop
• ¾ cup buttermilk (or whole milk + 1 tsp white vinegar) shop
• 1 tsp vanilla extract shop
• 1¼ cups fresh or frozen blueberries shop
• 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature shop
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter (not natural / oil-separated) shop
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened shop
• 2 cups powdered sugar shop
• 1 tsp vanilla extract shop
• 1 pinch salt shop

Method

1. FOR THE CHOCOLATE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
2. Prepare the oven and pan: preheat to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
3. Whisk the dry ingredients: in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Break up any brown sugar clumps.
4. Combine the wet ingredients: in a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract until completely smooth.
5. Fold the batter: toss the blueberries in a little flour first so they do not sink. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently; right before it is fully mixed, add the blueberries (a teaspoon of flour matters most with frozen ones, which otherwise sink and bleed). Fold until just combined.
6. Bake and cool: fill the muffin cups almost to the top. Bake 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick in the centre comes out mostly clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
7. FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
8. Cream the bases: with a hand mixer on medium, beat the softened cream cheese, peanut butter and butter until perfectly smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
9. Incorporate the sugar: turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar gradually, about ½ cup at a time, to prevent a mess.
10. Add vanilla and finish: add the vanilla extract and salt, turn the mixer back up to medium-high and whip another 1-2 minutes until light and spreadable.
11. Frost: wait until the muffins are entirely at room temperature, then spread with a knife or pipe it on.
12. Make the frosting while the muffins cool. Frosted muffins need the fridge — the cream cheese is perishable and they will not keep on the counter.