Decadent chocolate peanut butter cupcakes piped and filled with a rich and creamy peanut butter frosting and topped with chocolate shavings. These dreamy cupcakes are a chocolate and peanut butter lovers fantasy!
Why this recipe works
Chocolate and peanut butter pair together to make a powerful flavor combination in these deliciously moist cupcakes. They’re truly mouth-watering for all the chocolate peanut butter lovers out there.
Think peanut butter cups, but in cupcake form. They aren’t just any old cupcakes, the rich chocolately base is filled with smooth peanut butter frosting, followed by a piping of it on top for the ultimate chocolate peanut butter cupcake!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CAKE – All the classic components of a tasty chocolate cupcake plus a sneaky teaspoon of coffee in there to truly bring out the flavor of the cocoa. Of course, you can swap it out for a cake mix if desired, but I promise making them from scratch is entirely worth it.
FROSTING – Butter, powdered sugar, milk, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt are beaten together to make this ultra-creamy peanut butter frosting. Not only is this swirled on top of the cupcake, but stuffed inside of it as well for a nice little surprise. This frosting is great for all sorts of recipes like cakes, brownies, or even cookies.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
- Cream together the butter and granulated sugar for a few minutes using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Beat in the egg, vanilla and buttermilk.
- In a separate bowl, stir the instant coffee into the hot water until dissolved and then beat into the batter.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir just until combined.
- Line a muffin tin with cupcake wrappers. The batter will make 8 regular size cupcakes or 6 jumbo cupcakes.
- Fill the wrappers with equal amounts of the batter and bake for 25 to 35 minutes (depending on the cupcake size) or until a toothpick, inserted in the center, comes out clean. Allow to cool before filling and frosting.
- To make the peanut butter frosting, add the butter, powdered sugar and a tablespoon of the milk to a bowl and cream together using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Beat in the peanut butter, vanilla and salt. If the consistency is a little too thick, add another tablespoon of milk.
- Fit a piping bag with a large tip and fill with the frosting. We used a 1M tip.
EXPERT TIP – You can also use a plastic baggie and snip off the tip of the bag with scissors.
- Use a knife to cut a little core out of each cooled cupcake and fill with a bit of the frosting.
- Replace the core and top with a swirl of the frosting. Sprinkle on some chocolate shavings, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Yes, you can make the cupcakes a day in advance and store them at room temperature. Store them in an air-tight container to keep them from drying out.
Yes, to freeze the cupcakes, place them in an air-tight container (unfrosted and unfilled) and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can leave the liners on the cupcakes when freezing. You may also pre-make the peanut butter frosting and store it in an air-tight container or baggie in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Serving Suggestions
These cupcake wrappers are our favorite because of their pretty presentation, but any cupcake liner will work. If you’d like, you can add a peanut butter cup inside the cupcake when filling it with frosting for an extra surprise. Chocolate shavings, chopped peanuts, mini chocolate chips, and chopped peanut butter cups are all great ideas for garnish!
More Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes
- Peanut Butter Cups
- No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
- Fudge Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
Cupcakes
- 11 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 tsp instant coffee
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 stick, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar aka confectioners sugar
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp milk 1-2 Tbsp depending on desired consistency
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- We used Wilton 12” disposable piping bags and a 1M tip.
- Store cupcakes at room temperature in an air-tight container for 3-4 days.
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
- Cream together the butter and granulated sugar for a few minutes using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and buttermilk.
- In a separate bowl, stir the instant coffee into the hot water until dissolved and then beat into the batter.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir just until combined.
- Line a muffin tin with wrappers. The batter will make 8 regular size cupcakes or 6 jumbo cupcakes.
- Fill the wrappers with equal amounts of the batter and bake for 25 to 35 minutes (depending on the cupcake size) or until a toothpick, inserted in the center, comes out clean. Allow to cool before filling and frosting.
- To make the peanut butter frosting, add the butter, powdered sugar and a tablespoon of the milk to a bowl and cream together using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Beat in the peanut butter, vanilla and salt. If the consistency is a little too thick, add another tablespoon of milk.
- Fit a piping bag with a large tip and fill with the frosting. You can also use a plastic baggie and snip off the tip of the bag with scissors.
- Use a knife to cut a little core out of each cooled cupcake and fill with a bit of the frosting.
- Replace the core and top with a swirl of the frosting. Sprinkle on some chocolate shavings, if desired.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Susan Briecke says
I have been looking for a recipe like this for years with the soft peanut butter filling. Do you think this would work in a bundt pan or 8 x 8 pan? Maybe if I doubled the recipe? Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA