Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
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Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe: Tender, sweet, and bursting with chocolate peanut butter flavor!
Jen and I are so pleased to be sharing this chocolate peanut butter cupcakes recipe with you today!
We were chatting and I mentioned that I have the best chocolate cupcake recipe out there, so she decided to run with it and create these little works of art!
They bake up moist and chocolate-y as can be (in just one bowl!) and I can’t think of a yummier complement than this pretty peanut butter frosting.
For more great cupcake recipes, be sure to check out my vanilla cupcakes, carrot cake cupcakes, and s’mores cupcakes!
Table of Contents
- What are chocolate peanut butter cupcakes?
- Why this is the best peanut butter chocolate cupcakes recipe
- What do chocolate peanut butter cupcakes taste like?
- Ingredients
- Special equipment
- How to make cupcakes chocolate peanut butter
- How to serve chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes
- Expert tips
- Frequently asked questions
- A few more of my best peanut butter recipes
What are chocolate peanut butter cupcakes?
This creation began with my Simply Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes. They are so simple to make and they have the chocolate-iest ever flavor and the softest, moistest texture.
Jen tops them with a creamy peanut butter buttercream and gives them a drizzle of chocolate sauce, to really take them to another level!
Why this is the best peanut butter chocolate cupcakes recipe
- Tastes amazing: So chocolate-y, with the most decadent peanut butter American-style buttercream.
- Few ingredients: This recipe is made entirely from pantry staples.
- Easy to make: A perfect recipe for a novice baker!
- Portable: Cupcakes are great for kids’ parties because they’re perfectly portioned and easy to transport. Plus they’re kinda fun!
What do chocolate peanut butter cupcakes taste like?
These cupcakes are tender, sweet, and bursting with chocolate peanut butter flavor! The frosting is very creamy and not overly heavy.
Ingredients
Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cupcake batter as well as helping it to stay moist. Powdered sugar is used in the peanut butter frosting to create a smooth, fluffy consistency that’s not at all grainy.
Flour: A combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour ensure your cupcakes will be pillowy-soft yet sturdy enough to stand up to a generous application of buttercream. If you aren’t familiar with cake flour, check out this post–> What Is Cake Flour?
Cocoa: Natural unsweetened cocoa powder is chocolate in its purest form. No fat or sugar gets in the way of its deep, dark, chocolate flavor.
Leavening: A combination of baking powder and baking soda helps these cupcakes to rise sky-high.
Salt: Balances the flavors and helps to carry them. I like kosher salt best because it’s cheap, easy to source, and doesn’t contain any bitter-tasting additives like iodine.
Butter: Gives both the cupcakes and the frosting the richest flavor!
Eggs: Use large chicken eggs (preferably at room temp to avoid a lumpy batter) or a plant-based product that can swap 1:1.
Buttermilk: The natural acidity in buttermilk works together with the leavening to help the cupcakes rise, as well as keeping them moist and adding a lovely flavor. If you don’t typically keep buttermilk on hand, you can use the same amount of sour cream, or check out this post–> How to Make Homemade Buttermilk.
Vanilla: The sweet perfume that vanilla extract gives complements the taste of chocolate beautifully.
Milk: You’ll need a little splash of milk or cream to thin the peanut butter frosting to the perfect consistency. Use whatever kind you keep on hand; even a plant-based product will work!
Special equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons: Follow our guide on how to measure ingredients.
- Bowl: You’ll need a large mixing bowl to make the cupcake batter and frosting.
- Mixer: Either a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer
- Silicone spatula: For scraping the bowl and getting every last bit out!
- Scoop: A 1/4-cup trigger scoop helps to portion the batter equally.
- Cupcake pan: These bake in a standard-sized cupcake pan.
- Papers: Cupcake liners and/or non-stick spray, so they come out of the pan easily.
- Piping bag and tip: This is optional, but if you want to make yours look like the photos here, I’d recommend a 16-inch featherweight pastry bag and a jumbo star tip.
How to make cupcakes chocolate peanut butter
These crowd-pleasing cupcakes come together in no time and are simple to prepare.
Step 1: Combine dry ingredients
Place the sugar, flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Step 2: Add butter
Add the butter and mix on low speed until combined.
Step 3: Add wet ingredients
Add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla, then beat on medium speed for 60-90 seconds.
Step 4: Fill cupcake liners
Fill lined cupcake wells just over half full.
Step 5: Bake cupcakes
Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Let cool completely.
Step 6: Prepare the frosting
Beat together, the butter, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Add the powdered sugar until evenly combined. Lastly, add the milk.
Step 7: Frost the cupcakes
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, pipe on the frosting.
How to serve chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes
These make a fantastic afternoon snack or dessert for a party.
Serve them chilled or at room temperature.
If you like you can pair them with any of my ice cream recipes.
Expert tips
Use no-stir peanut butter: For best results, use a no-stir peanut butter. Peanut butter that requires stirring might have a thinner or thicker consistency, which can alter the texture of the frosting.
Don’t overmix the batter: Overmixing ingredients can lead to cupcakes that are more dense.
Weigh your ingredients: You’ll see gram measurements included with the dry ingredients. If you have a kitchen scale, weighing the ingredients instead of using measuring cups will help you get consistent results every time!
Frequently asked questions
These cupcakes contain all-purpose flour and cake flour, so they are not gluten-free.
You could however try swapping in a gluten-free flour blend. This is just the kind of recipe where that could work well.
Because the frosting contains milk, leftover cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator.
Each serving is calculated for one cupcake. The nutritional info given does not include the chocolate syrup drizzle.
A few more of my best peanut butter recipes
As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar, (150g)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, (70g)
- 1/4 cup cake flour, (30g)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (45g)
- 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the peanut butter frosting
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar, (400g)
- 2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
- Optional: chocolate sauce for drizzling
Instructions
Prepare the chocolate cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with liners. Optionally, you can spray them lightly with baking spray to make it easier to peel the cupcakes.
- Place the sugar, all-purpose flour, cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the butter and mix on low speed for a few minutes, until the mixture resembles moist crumbs.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula after each addition. Add the buttermilk and vanilla, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl to be sure the ingredients are evenly combined. Beat on medium speed for 60-90 seconds to aerate the batter and build the cake’s structure.
- Fill lined cupcake wells just over half full (approximately 1/4 cup of batter).
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Prepare the peanut butter frosting
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, peanut butter, vanilla and salt until smooth.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, on low speed until evenly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times.
- Add the milk on low speed, mixing until evenly combined. Increase speed to high and mix for an additional 20-30 seconds.
- Pipe the frosting onto cupcakes. Top with chocolate sauce, if desired.
