Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
These Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting are a delicious and decadent treat. The moist chocolate cupcakes are topped with a peanut butter frosting that is creamy and sweet, adding the perfect finishing touch to these tasty treats. These cupcakes can be served as an after-dinner dessert or as an anytime snack.
If you love delicious homemade cupcake recipes then next time you may want to check out these Chocolate Chip Cupcakes or these Churro Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll This Recipe
- They are so easy to make, and the results are always delicious.
- The chocolate cupcake is full of flavor and the peanut butter frosting adds a rich sweetness that makes these treats unforgettable.
- Plus, it’s a great recipe for baking with kids as they can help measure ingredients, stir, and even frost the cupcakes.
- These delicious cupcakes are not overly sweet.
- Easy to make these low-carb by using a sugar-free alternative sweetener like monk fruit.
- The peanut butter lovers in your household love this delicious and flavorful combination.
Equipment Needed
You will need a few kitchen tools to help you make this chocolate cupcake recipe. Gather these tools and whip up a batch of this sweet treat in no time at all.
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer
- Muffin tin or cupcake pan
- Cupcake liners
- Piping bag with a tip (I like Wilton 1M, open star)
Ingredients
To make this homemade cupcake recipe you will need a few simple ingredients. All of these ingredients are easy to find at your local grocery store or you may already have them on hand in your pantry. So, gather these ingredients and get ready to enjoy this sweet treat.
Cupcakes
- unsweetened cocoa powder – for extra dark chocolate cupcakes use a dark chocolate cocoa powder like Hershey’s cocoa special dark.
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder – check the expiration date! There is nothing worse than using a leavening agent that lost its ability to rise baked goods.
- salt
- vegetable oil – you can also use a different neutral-tasting oil like canola oil.
- sugar – to cut down on carbs you can use a sugar alternative like allulose.
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- buttermilk – No buttermilk? Try this hack! Add one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to a measuring cup. Add whole milk to the one-cup mark. Stir and let the ingredients curdle for 15 minutes before using.
Frosting
- peanut butter, creamy
- cream cheese
- butter
- powdered sugar
- vanilla
- milk
How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Making these peanut butter frosted cupcakes is so easy. Just follow the step-by-step instructions below and you will have rich peanut buttery cupcakes to serve your family and friends in no time at all.
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Step 2: Sift the dry ingredients
Sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 3: Mix together the wet ingredients
In a separate bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add vanilla.
Step 4: Incorporate the dry and wet ingredients
On low speed, alternate incorporating flour and buttermilk.
Step 5: Bake the cupcakes
Pour batter into paper-lined muffin tin about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. Cool before adding frosting.
Step 6: Make fluffy peanut butter frosting
In a mixing bowl cream peanut butter, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. On low speed, add sifted powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add milk.
Step 7: Frost the cupcakes
Frost-cooled cupcakes and decorate them with sprinkles, nuts, or your favorite topping.
Substitutions and Additions
Here are a few ways that you can personalize this delicious homemade cupcake recipe.
- If you are not a fan of peanut butter, feel free to substitute almond butter or hazelnut spread.
- Add some fun mix-ins such as mini chocolate chips, chopped peanuts, or shredded coconut for an extra special touch.
- Lower the carbs by replacing the granulated sugar with a sugar-free alternative like monk fruit. For a vanilla flavor, you will want to try these Sugar-Free Cupcakes.
- Try adding a drizzle of melted dark chocolate on top for added sweetness and a pop of color.
- You can replace the buttermilk with sour cream if you don’t have buttermilk on hand.
How To Store
These cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Make sure to keep them away from heat sources like the stove or appliances so that the frosting doesn’t melt.
Sandra’s Pro Tips
Here are a few tips that you can use to make sure that these cupcakes turn out perfectly every time that you make them.
- Use good-quality cocoa powder for the cupcakes. It will make a difference in taste and texture.
- For an even richer flavor, substitute half of the buttermilk with brewed coffee in the cake batter.
- Make sure to sift the dry ingredients to avoid lumps in the batter. Also, sift the confectioners’ sugar when making the frosting.
- If you find that your frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon or two more milk until you reach the desired texture.
- You could also top these cupcakes with a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup, Reese’s Pieces, chocolate chip, chopped peanuts, or even a peanut butter cookie.
FAQs
Do you have questions about this peanut butter chocolate cupcakes recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this recipe.
The biggest secret to moist cupcakes is to use high-quality ingredients and to make sure that you don’t overbake them.
Bakeries keep their cupcakes moist by storing them in a dry yet room temperature area and storing them in plastic.
I recommend making them no more than 24 hours in advance that way they still taste fresh.
Other Delicious Peanut Butter Recipes You May Enjoy
Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Hand mixer
- 1 Muffin tin, cupcake pan, or cupcake liners
- 1 Piping bag with a tip Wilton 1M, open star
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- FROSTING
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 4 ounce cream cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cupcake liners or cupcake tin.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add vanilla and buttermilk.
- On low speed, alternate incorporating flour and buttermilk into the butter sugar mixuture.
- Pour batter into paper-lined muffin tin filling about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- In a mixing bowl cream peanut butter, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth.
- On low speed, add sifted powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add milk.
- Frost cooled cupcakes.
Notes
-
- For dark chocolate cupcakes use special dark cocoa powder.
- Use good-quality cocoa powder for the cupcakes. It will make a difference in taste and texture.
- For an even richer flavor, substitute half of the buttermilk with brewed coffee in the cake batter.
- Make sure to sift the dry ingredients to avoid lumps in the batter. Also, sift the confectioners’ sugar when making the frosting.
- If you find that your frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon or two more milk until you reach the desired texture.
- You could also top these cupcakes with a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup, Reese’s Pieces, chocolate chip, or even a peanut butter cookie.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
The chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting recipe were first shared in 2014. It has been updated with new photos and helpful instructions in 2023. The chocolate cupcake recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart, Everyday Food (October 2003).
I’m a chocolate/peanut butter fan, but I have to say I have yet to see those cute little peanut butter ‘kisses’ in Trader Joe’s. I’m on my way to look for them. I’m always making cupcakes, and the peanut butter frosting sounds so good I’m going to have to make them for the end of school/start of summer celebration for the boys.
Thanks for sharing your recipe,
Joanne
Those mini chocolate/peanut butter pieces are GREAT! Can be dangerous too when I start adding them to everything! lol well, worth it, though! They’re packaged in the clear plastic containers usually in the freezer isles where all the snacks are.
Oh my! I’d have to really practice self-control around these. 😉
The plus side of yielding 12 instead of 24 cupcakes 😉
Gorgeous, Sandra!!! I love love love peanut butter frosting. And I could basically eat my weight in mini peanut butter cups. Yup.
Thanks, Heather!
My favorite combo too, can you tell 😉
Thanks, Uru! Peanut butter is like Nutella, right?! LOVE