You’ll love these light and fluffy Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes. Soft chocolate cakes topped with clouds of peanut butter frosting, a drizzle of peanut butter and a scattering of chocolate chips.
Peanut butter + chocolate = perfect match 💕
If you’re looking for a cupcake recipe that’s a total crowd-pleaser, I’ve got you covered. Meet my melt-in-your-mouth Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes designed to make peanut butter lovers like you and me swoon.
Light and fluffy chocolate cake with clouds of creamy peanut butter frosting – who’s with me? 🙋♀️
I’ll be honest with you. I actually developed this particular recipe back in 2015. But four years on, it still holds the test of time. These are by far, my favourite Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes. There is just something about the combination of creamy peanut butter frosting and soft chocolate cake that makes me weak at the knees.
You’ll love that they’re surprisingly quick and easy to make, with no special ingredients. But they really do wow a crowd. Especially with a little extra drizzle of peanut butter and a few chocolate chips for good measure. You know how we roll around here #moreismore
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES FROM SCRATCH
- These chocolate cupcakes are super easy to make. It’s simply a mix and stir recipe, so you don’t need an electric mixer or any special equipment.
- Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl, then add the wet ingredients, along with the buttermilk, and stir to combine.
- To fill the cupcake liners, use a dessert spoon and a teaspoon to spoon out the batter. Just remember not to overfill your cupcake liners. They only need to be around 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup full.
- The cakes will be ready when they spring back lightly to the touch.
How to make buttermilk from scratch
- If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, try making your own buttermilk from scratch. Add one tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Leave for 5 minutes to curdle, then use as normal. I use this trick ALL the time because I never have buttermilk on hand.
How to make peanut butter frosting for cupcakes
- This Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcake recipe calls for an easy peanut butter buttercream.
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature – this will make it easier to get rid of any lumps and make the buttercream extra creamy.
- Cream the butter and peanut butter together until combined, then start adding the icing sugar and milk. The buttercream will turn creamy and fluffy.
More peanut butter and chocolate recipes to try
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Brownies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake
- Easy Peanut Butter Balls
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas.
Let's Bake
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate cupcakes topped with creamy peanut butter frosting.
Ingredients
Chocolate cupcakes
- 105 grams (3/4 cup) plain flour
- 40 grams (1/2 cup) dutch processed cocoa or regular cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) caster sugar
- 45 grams (1/4 cup) brown sugar
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk
Peanut butter frosting
- 115 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 435 grams (3 and 1/2 cups) icing or powdered sugar
- 120 grams (1/2 cup) smooth peanut butter, plus extra for drizzling
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 75 grams (1/2 cup) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and then add the sugars. Pop the butter into the microwave for a short burst, 10 seconds or so at a time, until it becomes very soft but just before it is completely melted. Give it a stir with a fork to eliminate any lumps.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add eggs, vanilla and butter and whisk together until smooth. Then add the wet mixture into the dry mixture, along with the buttermilk and gently fold until just combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners and pop into the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until just cooked through. Set cakes out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and peanut butter and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the icing sugar, one cup at a time, and continue to beat. Add a tablespoon or two of milk to help loosen up the mixture. Continue to add a tablespoon of milk as needed. The icing should be nice and creamy but thick enough to hold its shape.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes using a piping bag and a large round tip. Warm a little extra peanut butter in the microwave, just until smooth. Drizzle a little peanut butter on top of each cupcake and then sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top.
Lin says
Hi Jessica, I sent you a letter earlier about the eggs, I should have checked first, my daughter was telling me, no eggs here mom, and immediately wrote you a letter asking the number of eggs to be added. I found it looking/reading again. .It’s now in the oven he!he!
Thanks for your yummy recipes.
Lin
Jessica Holmes says
Ohh brilliant! I hope you enjoy them Lin!
Andra says
On one of their trips to visit us here in Australia in the early 1990’s my American grandma whipped up a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. I think I ate most of it. It was soooo addicting! It was a cake and flavour combo that stuck with me until eventually as an adult I set out to recreate it. Still my favourite cake/frosting combo to this day. And still relatively unknown in Australia! Will be giving your cupcakes a whirl!
Jessica Holmes says
That is such a lovely memory! I was also struck by the flavour combo on one of our holidays to the USA. And you are right, it’s not super common here in Aus! I hope you love these cupcakes.
M says
I live in Canada and don’t usually bake with caster sugar- can I sub for granulated?! I love your recipes! Thank you.
Jessica Holmes says
Absolutely! I also wrote a blog post about caster sugar you might find helpful.
M says
Thanks!!
Nik says
I have tried two of your cake recipes and I am so elated because these are the best recipes ever for cake making ! So glad you are out there sharing these wonderful recipes which are seriously magical ! Thank you
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Aw thank you so much Nik! That is so lovely. I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying my recipes!
Natalie says
I love chocolate and peanut butter! These cupcakes look perfect!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Thanks Natalie!
Josh says
Yum!
★★★★★
Nikki says
I am a sucker for peanut butter and chocolate! I can’t wait to try these!