My kitchen is covered in frosting and the floor is coated in flour but its worth it because I’ve got a special sweet and salty treat for you. These Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes take America’s favourite sandwich to a whole new level.
Soft and fluffy peanut butter cakes with a secret jelly filling, topped with creamy peanut butter frosting, more jelly and a handful of honey roasted peanuts. It’s everything you have ever wanted in one amazing cupcake. Why not make these for all the PB&J lovers in your life?
It’s almost a year to the day since our last jaunt to America. This time last year, we were road trippin’ through Texas, traipsing through the snow covered streets of New York and discovering the political wonders in Washington DC.
One of our all-time favourite travel memories was landing in New York late afternoon when Storm Juno was due to hit and the city was going into lock down. A grim situation for some, but our plane wasn’t cancelled. As dusk fell, we found ourselves rolling our suitcases through the snow with the streets absolutely deserted, feeling like we had New York all to ourselves.
I also remember the gorgeous cupcakes and baked goods we ate over there. We had fudgy brownies from Lorraine’s Bakery in San Antonio, perhaps the best donuts ever from Round Rock Donuts in Texas, Crack Pie from Momofuku Milk Bar in New York, an incredible Smores Bar from Baked and Wired in Georgetown, Banana Pudding from Magnolia Bakery in Los Angeles and cupcakes from Sprinkles Cupcakes of course! I think I can definitely attribute the inspiration for these cupcakes to my bank of America memories!
I don’t want to toot my own horn but these peanut butter cupcakes are divine. The cake is beautifully light and fluffy (toot toot) and not dry at all. Trust me. I have a fear of dry cupcakes. So much so, that whenever I make cakes, I follow my husband around asking ‘It’s not dry is it? Is it? Are you sure? Not at all? It isn’t, is it? Until he finally convinces me and I’m like, I knew it – #nailedit.
But really I just loved this cake and its lovely peanut butter flavour. Add in a shot of jelly, then pile it high with peanut butter frosting and drizzle more jelly for the ultimate peanut butter and jelly treat! So c’mon, get out your apron and let’s get caking!
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Cuisine:
Print
PinDescription
Buttery peanut butter cupcakes topped with creamy peanut butter frosting.
Ingredients
Peanut butter cupcakes
- 115 grams (1 stick or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 135 grams (3/4 cup) brown sugar
- 125 grams (1/2 cup) smooth peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 140 grams (1 cup) plain flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk
- 12 teaspoons of raspberry jam or grape jelly
Peanut butter frosting
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 435 grams (3 and 1/2 cups) icing or powdered sugar
- 125 grams (1/2 cup) smooth peanut butter
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk
- 90 grams (1/3 cup) raspberry or grape jelly, to drizzle
- 40 grams (1/3 cup) honey roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Line a 12-hole muffin tray with cupcake liners. Preheat your oven to 180 C (360 F). In a large mixing bowl, place your butter, sugar and peanut butter. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrap down the sides of the bowl. Add your vanilla and mix briefly.
- Add your eggs, one at a time, and beat again until combined. Sift in your flour and baking powder and start to gently fold using a wooden spoon or a plastic spatula. Add your milk and fold until the ingredients are just combined – you don’t want to over mix the batter.
- Spoon out your batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until they spring back lightly when touched. Place the cupcakes on a cooling rack to cool completely. To insert the jelly or jam, either cut out a small hole in each cupcake using a pointed knife and spoon in a teaspoon of jelly or use a syringe like I did.
- To make the peanut butter frosting, place your butter and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add in half of your icing or powdered sugar and the milk and beat until the frosting starts to come together. Then add the remaining icing or powdered sugar. The icing should be nice and creamy but thick enough to hold its shape. Pipe the icing onto the cupcakes using a piping bag and a large star tip.
- Finally, drizzle over a little extra jelly onto each cupcake and scatter over a few honey roasted peanuts.
Keywords: Peanut butter, Cake, Cupcakes, Jelly
Wow!
★★★★★
Oooh I love the sound of peanut butter in the cupcake. Such a delicious idea. These look just gorgeous too.
Thanks Nicole!! 🙂
You flew here during Juno?! Goodness gracious! That certainly wasn’t the worst snow storm to hit us in recent years, but it was pretty rough! How cool, though, that you got to experience it while in NY?! I’m thinking you need to come back so Leah, Cate, and I can see you! 🙂 and I am all about these cuppies! I loveeeee me some PB&J, and I think that PB&J flavored desserts are some of my fav. Beautiful, Jess!
YES! It was actually pretty cool for us who never ever get to see snow! Thankfully our flights weren’t cancelled otherwise that would have put a dampener on the holiday plans! Thanks Lynn!
Oh my goodness..there you go again making a dessert with one of my favorite flavors! PB&J was a staple growing up, and I’m still just as much in love with it as ever. I can just imagine devouring these beauties!! They look and sound incredible!!! <333
Aww thanks Beeta! PB&J is the best combo ever! 🙂
OMG imagine if mom packed these in your lunch box when you were younger!!!!! #mostpopularkidatlunch
Hahaha ain’t that the truth! 😉
They look so cute and I love the way you have used syringe for filling. Amazing clicks as always 🙂
Thanks so much Kushi! 🙂
Omagahhh, these are seriously the cupcakes of my dreams. Do you even know how much I love PBJ? And in cupcake form? Pinning, and hopefully making and eating ASAP.
Aww thank you Meghan! And thanks so much for the pin! 🙂
Um, whoa. These are brilliant! Also, you need to come back over this way sometime soon!
Thanks Ashley! 🙂
Has it really been a year?!!? {Sniff, sniff} I miss you girl.
And I think I might have to concede by Cupcake Queen crown to you! You are ON FIRE!!! These cupcakes look fabulous! Love the pb&J combo. Because, obviously, I am about as American as we get 😉
A whole year, can you believe it? Oh no way, I still have a ways to catch up to queen but thank you, I’m honoured! 😉
Great idea to fill them with a syringe, I have to bake these, I love everything with jam, not to mention peanut butter.
It is so much fun using a syringe Adina! Let me know if you do make them!
That is so genius! I love the little syringe as well, may have to nab myself one for baking purposes haha! and OMG so jealous of your New York adventures – crack pie is something I would especially love to try (how was it, by the way?!). Food experiences while travelling influence so much of my baking too, it is such a great way to get inspiration x
Thanks Claudia! Oh man, crack pie – I have no words! It was incredible, definitely all its cracked up to be (haha). It is the BEST way to get inspiration. That’s why I keep telling my husband I need another holiday! 😉
These are some damn good cupcakes, girl. I love that you syringed your filling inside – seriously, I need to get one of those!! Haha. These look so beyond delish and I love that they signify your time in the US! Nothing says America like PB&J 🙂
Aww thanks so much Rachel! I couldn’t agree more! 😉
Oh man! Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite flavor. These cupcakes are dangerous.
Oh well then, these were made for you Nicole! 😉
I have yet to visit NYC (or Texas for that matter), but they are both on my must visit list. Aaah my list is too long!!!! These cupcakes look so delicious, and I love that they’re PB&J…such a classic flavor combo 🙂
Aww you must go Denise! I really want to go back to both! 🙂
Peanut butter and jelly in a cupcake form? Genius! This will certainly get the attention of all PB&J lovers! The cupcakes look amazing!
Thanks Melanie! 🙂
PB&J cupcakes sound like the most genius thing EVER! These babies are completely gorgeous, Jess! I’m totally craving cupcakes for breakfast now. 😀
Aww thank you Sarah! 🙂
The way you photograph it looks like your food is floating is space! PB&J as cupcakes must be sooo good!
Hahaha it does look like that, does’t it? Thanks Linda!
These are so adorable! And I’m totally voting that they’re OK for breakfast since they’re PB&J 🙂
Hahaha I’m in! Thanks Sues!
I am a PB & J and cupcake lover, so the two having a culinary love child sounds perfect! And dangerous! 😉 These totally count as breakfast. Or lunch! Pinned! Cheers, girlie!
Awesome, thanks Cheyanne and thanks for the pin! x
I love reminiscing about all the delicious foods we ate while on holidays, and the experiences we had – it certainly leaves me hungry, and reminds me why we are saving for our next holiday!
These peanut butter cupcakes look divine Jess! I love that they aren’t dry (toot toot to you!) and the swirls of frosting have me captivated. I think these will go down a treat with my workmates!
Me too Amy! Glad to hear your saving for another holiday – smart move! 😉
Ah I love the idea of using a syringe to pipe in the jelly! Never would have thought of that. The cupcakes look delicious, I would love one of those! 🙂
Thanks June! I love using my syringe, so easy!
Wow, that must have been pretty surreal heading off to your flight with the streets deserted. I love those strange but wonderful moments in life when you kind of want to pinch yourself. And it sounds like you have so many awesome food memories from your trip, Jess! Love these muffins. I want to eat all the PB&J!! 😀
So surreal! One of those great unplanned travel moments! 🙂
Oooh! Jam injection! I want to launch myself at these cupcakes.. they look so good! Also, piping skills = on point! Dry cakes terrify me also O_o
Hahaha thank you Hannah! Too sweet! 🙂
You nailed it Jess! These sound delicious! I can tell how moist and yummy they look from your photos! PB&J was never a favorite of mine as a kid, but as an adult I’m hooked! I will definitely be trying these!
Aw you are too kind, thank you Mary Ann! I never ate them growing up either – it was vegemite sandwiches for me! But clearly, I’ve been missing out! 😉