These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes combine moist, rich chocolate cake with a creamy peanut butter filling and a fluffy peanut butter frosting. Chopped peanut butter cups make an easy finishing touch for a classic flavor combination that’s especially hard to resist.
Chocolate and peanut butter has always been one of my favorite flavor combinations, so I didn’t want these cupcakes to be simply chocolate cupcakes topped with peanut butter frosting. Instead, they’re filled with a creamy, lightly sweet peanut butter filling, too, giving you plenty of peanut butter flavor to balance all that rich chocolate.
They’re easy enough to make just because you’re craving chocolate and peanut butter, but that hidden filling and a topping of chopped peanut butter cups make them feel worthy of birthdays, celebrations, and other special occasions.
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Chocolate and peanut butter in every bite. The rich chocolate cupcakes have both a creamy peanut butter filling and fluffy peanut butter frosting, so neither flavor gets lost.
- A little something extra inside. The peanut butter filling is simple to make, but it turns an everyday cupcake into something that feels much more special.
- Rich without being overly sweet. The chocolate cupcake, lightly sweet filling, and fluffy peanut butter frosting are balanced so you can enjoy the whole cupcake without hitting sugar overload.
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities. Here are a few notes about the ingredients that make a difference in these cupcakes.
- Natural cocoa powder – Unsweetened natural cocoa powder gives the cupcakes their rich chocolate flavor and works with the baking soda for a soft, tender crumb.
- Oil – Using oil instead of butter keeps the chocolate cupcakes especially moist and soft, even after they’re refrigerated.
- Buttermilk – Its acidity works with the baking soda while also contributing to the cupcakes’ tender texture and rich flavor.
- Hot coffee – Coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without making the cupcakes taste like coffee. If you don’t have brewed coffee, you can use hot water mixed with 1 to 2 teaspoons of espresso powder instead.
- Creamy peanut butter – Use a conventional creamy peanut butter, such as Jif or Skippy, for both the filling and the frosting. Natural peanut butter tends to separate and can make their consistency unpredictable.
- Heavy cream – A little cream helps you fine-tune the consistency of both the filling and the frosting.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
These cupcakes have three components, but each one is simple to make. Be sure to let the cupcakes cool completely before adding the filling and frosting.
Make the chocolate cupcakes.
Whisk the dry ingredients separately, then combine the sugars, oil, egg, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients in two portions, alternating with the buttermilk, and finish with the hot coffee. The batter will be fairly thin. Divide it among the liners and bake until a pick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely.
Make and add the peanut butter filling.
Combine the filling ingredients until smooth, adding a little cream only if needed to make it pipeable. Cut a small cone from the center of each cupcakes, taking care not to cut it all the way to the bottom. Pipe or spoon the filling into the opening.
Mix the peanut butter frosting.
Beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth and fluffy before gradually adding the confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla, salt, and enough cream to get a smooth piping consistency. A final few minutes of beating makes the frosting lighter and fluffier.
Frost and finish.
Pipe the frosting onto the cooled, filled cupcakes. You don’t need an elaborate technique — a large star tip makes an easy, pretty swirl. Finish with chopped peanut butter cups, or switch things up with chopped roasted peanuts, mini chocolate chips, or chocolate shavings.
If you want to simplify the recipe, you can skip the filling and go straight to frosting the cooled cupcakes. You’ll lose that extra burst of peanut butter inside, but you’ll still have a delicious chocolate and peanut butter cupcake.
Tips for Success
- Don’t over-bake the cupcakes. Chocolate cake can be tricky to judge by appearance, so start checking toward the lower end of the baking time. A pick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter.
- Cool completely before filling. Warm cupcakes are more delicate, and the heat can soften the peanut butter filling. Give them plenty of time to cool before cutting out the centers.
- Don’t cut too deeply. When making room for the filling, leave some cake at the bottom so the cupcakes stays sturdy. Aim for cutting about halfway down. A small paring knife works well, but a cupcake corer makes quick work of it if you have one.
- Add the cream gradually. Both the filling and frosting can be adjusted with heavy cream, but add just a little at a time. Keep the filling fairly thick so it stays put inside the cupcakes; make the frosting softer and smooth enough to pipe easily.
- Give the frosting time to get fluffy. Once everything is combined, beating the frosting on high speed for another couple of minutes makes it lighter and give you that fluffy texture that’s especially nice against the rich cupcake and filling.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Refrigerator: Store the filled and frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. For the best flavor and texture, let them sit at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Make ahead: You can bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Fill and frost them the next day.
Freezer: For the simplest option, freeze the unfrosted, unfilled cupcakes in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before filling and frosting.
A Cupcake for Chocolate + Peanut Butter Fans
That creamy peanut butter center is the little extra that makes these cupcakes feel special without making them complicated. Add a swirl of peanut butter frosting and a handful of chopped peanut butter cups, and you’ve got an easy cupcake that’s just as at home at a birthday or celebration as it is satisfying a serious chocolate-peanut butter craving.
More Chocolate + Peanut Butter Favorites
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (42 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) hot coffee, or hot water + 1-2 teaspoons espresso powder
For the peanut butter filling:
- ½ cup (127 g) creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (55 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, softened
- pinch salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) heavy cream, if needed
For the peanut butter frosting:
- ¾ cup (191 g) creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (220 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) heavy cream
For garnish:
- 4 to 6 mini peanut butter cups, chopped
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Instructions
To make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- Mix in half of the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk. Mix just until combined.
- Add the remaining flour mixture, and mix until almost completely combined.
- Gradually stir in the hot coffee until smooth.
- Divide the batter among the prepared cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake 18 to 22 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
To make the filling:
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, butter, and salt until smooth.
- Add a small amount of cream at a time until the mixture is smooth and pipeable but still fairly thick.
- Cut a small cone from the center of each cooled cupcake (or use a cupcake corer).
- Pipe or spoon about a tablespoon of filling into each cupcake.
To make the frosting:
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar gradually, and mix well. Mix in the vanilla and salt.
- Add enough cream to create a smooth, pipeable consistency.
- Increase mixer speed to high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes using a large star tip (or your preferred piping tip).
- Garnish with chopped peanut butter cups or other toppings.
Notes
- Peanut butter: Use conventional creamy peanut butter rather than natural peanut butter for the best consistency in both the filling and frosting.
- Coffee: The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor without making the cupcakes taste like coffee. You can substitute 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water mixed with 1 to 2 teaspoons espresso powder, or simply use hot water.
- Filling: For a simpler version, you can omit the peanut butter filling and just frost the cupcakes.
- Garnish: Chopped roasted peanuts, mini chocolate chips, or chocolate shavings can be used instead of chopped peanut butter cups.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature for serving.
