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Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 89 reviews

Deliciously moist chocolate cupcakes filled with creamy peanut butter and topped with a luscious peanut butter frosting, decorated with mini peanut butter cups and chopped peanuts. Perfectly balanced between rich chocolate and nutty sweetness, these cupcakes are a delightful treat for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Cupcake

  • 120 g boiling water
  • 200 g granulated sugar
  • 50 g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
  • 160 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 120 g sour cream (14-18%), room temperature
  • 75 g vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Frosting

  • 150 g butter, room temperature
  • 160 g creamy peanut butter
  • 230 g powdered sugar
  • 1–1 ½ tablespoon milk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 teaspoons creamy peanut butter (for filling)
  • 12–24 Reese’s mini peanut butter cups (for decoration)
  • Small handful of peanuts (for decoration)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven: Set your conventional oven to 160ºC (320ºF) and line a 12-cup cupcake tray with cupcake liners to prepare for baking.
  2. Prepare boiling water: Boil water and weigh out 120 grams, allowing it to cool slightly while you prepare other ingredients.
  3. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, flour, instant espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir well to combine evenly.
  4. Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and the slightly cooled boiling water together gently to avoid over-mixing the eggs.
  5. Combine wet and dry: Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold together gently until smooth with no lumps.
  6. Fill the cupcake liners and bake: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners. Bake for 20-23 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Make peanut butter frosting: Sift powdered sugar. Using a mixer, beat butter and peanut butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  8. Add remaining frosting ingredients: Scrape down the bowl, then add powdered sugar in two additions along with vanilla extract and milk. Mix on low speed until fully incorporated, then mix for an additional minute.
  9. Core cupcakes: Using the end of a piping tip or a similar tool, hollow out the center of each cupcake to create a small well for the peanut butter filling.
  10. Fill cupcakes: Spoon half a teaspoon of creamy peanut butter into the hollowed centers of each cupcake.
  11. Pipe frosting and decorate: Transfer frosting to a piping bag with a round tip (e.g., Wilton 1A) and pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes. Decorate with Reese’s mini peanut butter cups and a small handful of chopped peanuts.

Notes

  • Use room temperature eggs and sour cream for better blending and texture.
  • Allow boiling water to cool slightly before mixing to avoid cooking the eggs.
  • Gently fold batter to maintain fluffiness, avoiding over-mixing.
  • Adjust milk quantity in frosting to achieve desired consistency.
  • For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with vegan butter and ensure peanut butter contains no added dairy.
  • Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Keywords: peanut butter cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, peanut butter frosting, dessert, baked cupcakes, peanut butter chocolate cupcakes, party cupcakes

Find it online: https://kitchenbyrita.com/peanut-butter-chocolate-cupcakes-recipe/