Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake Recipe
The world of food comes with so many incredibly delicious flavor combinations. Chocolate and mint? Amazing. Raspberry and lemon? Totally refreshing. Throw peanut butter and chocolate into the mix, and you have one of the most crave-able combinations.
Peanut butter and chocolate paired together is totally classic, and these two flavors show up in everything from cookies and pies to ice cream. There's just something about that salty and sweet combo that can't be beat.
Celebrating those who love peanut butter and chocolate together, we have the perfect dessert recipe. These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes are nothing short of decadent, and they'll be sure to cure any sweet tooth. With a moist, rich chocolate cupcake, topped with luscious peanut butter frosting, these cupcakes are what dessert dreams are made of. And the best news is that you can make them on your own from scratch at home with this step-by-step recipe.
Gather the ingredients for these chocolate peanut butter cupcakes
To get started on making these delicious chocolate peanut butter cupcakes, first gather all of your ingredients. Ensuring you have everything on hand will make the baking process run so much smoother!
For the chocolate cupcakes, you'll need a quarter cup of white sugar, a half cup of brown sugar, three-quarters of a cup of flour, half a cup of cocoa powder, three-quarters of a teaspoon of baking powder, three-quarters of a teaspoon of baking soda, half a teaspoon of salt, one egg, half a cup of milk, and a quarter cup of oil.
For the peanut butter frosting to go on top of your cupcakes, you'll need one stick of unsalted butter, softened, five to six cups of powdered sugar, two tablespoons of milk, and four tablespoons of creamy peanut butter.
Mix the dry ingredients to start the chocolate cupcake batter
To get started on making a batch of chocolate peanut butter cupcakes on your own at home, first turn on the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit so it's up to the right temperature by the time your cupcake batter is ready.
In a large mixing, add all of the dry ingredients. Add the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients using a hand mixer, or utilize a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Mix the dry ingredients until well incorporated and free of any large clumps before moving onto the next step.
Add the wet ingredients to finish the chocolate cupcake batter
To finish the chocolate cupcake batter, add all of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient mixture. First, mix in the egg. Then, mix in the oil, continue mixing, and then add in the milk. Mix the batter until just incorporated. Just be sure not to over-mix at this step.
Once the chocolate cupcake batter is ready, prepare a cupcake pan with paper liners to prevent the cupcakes from sticking while baking. If you don't have paper liners, utilize cooking spray.
Fill each cupcake pan well half-way full with the batter. Then, place the pan in the oven and bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes until the tops are set. Once the cupcakes are finished baking, remove them from the oven and set aside to fully cool.
Make the peanut butter frosting for these chocolate peanut butter cupcakes
While the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes cool, make the peanut butter frosting to pair with them. Add the softened stick of butter into a mixing bowl. Mix with a hand mixer to break it up until light and fluffy. Next, add in two cups of powdered sugar, and mix in the sugar with the butter. Then, mix in two tablespoons of milk. Continue to gradually add the rest of the powdered sugar as you mix, allowing the frosting to thicken. Once the frosting comes together, mix in the four tablespoons of peanut butter, and then turn the speed up on the mixer to whip the frosting until fluffy.
Decorate these chocolate peanut butter cupcakes
Once the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes have fully cooled, top each cupcake with peanut butter frosting. To decorate the cupcakes, first drizzle the tops with melted peanut butter. To do this, put a spoonful of peanut butter into a plastic piping bag, and microwave it for 30 seconds. Then, make a small cut at the end and drizzle the liquid over the frosting. Alternatively, you can certainly melt the peanut butter in a small bowl and then drizzle it with a fork.
Lastly, sprinkle the cupcakes with crushed Reese's Pieces and add a wedge of a Reese's peanut butter cup on top, if desired.
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk (plus 2 tablespoons for frosting)
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (for the frosting)
- 6 cups powdered sugar (for the frosting)
- 4 tablespoons peanut butter (for the frosting)
- Crushed Reese's Pieces
- Reese's peanut butter cups
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Add the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix well to combine.
- Mix in the egg, and then add in the oil.
- Continue mixing, and then add in the milk. Mix until the batter forms, but do not over-mix.
- Line a cupcake pan with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.
- Scoop the batter with a measuring cup and fill each cupcake pan well just under halfway full. Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes until the tops are fully set. Once the cupcakes are finished baking, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting for the cupcakes, add 1 stick of softened butter into a mixing bowl. Whip the butter until fluffy, and then add in 2 cups of powdered sugar. Mix the butter and sugar. Then, add in 2 tablespoons of milk. Continue gradually adding powdered sugar and mixing until the mixture thickens and the frosting comes together. Once formed, mix the peanut butter into the frosting, and then turn the speed up on the mixer to whip the frosting until fluffy.
- Top the cooled cupcakes with the peanut butter frosting. Drizzle melted peanut butter on top, and think sprinkle with crushed Reese's Pieces. Top with a wedge of Reese's peanut butter cup, if desired.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 460 |
| Total Fat | 16.2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6.3 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.3 g |
| Cholesterol | 34.6 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 79.8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.8 g |
| Total Sugars | 69.9 g |
| Sodium | 213.5 mg |
| Protein | 3.6 g |
