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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

All chocolate and peanut butter lovers are going to LOVE these chocolate peanut butter cupcakes! Made with my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe and a creamy peanut butter frosting on top.

Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes on a cake platter.
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An Award Winning Combination

I made these chocolate peanut butter cupcakes for my husband’s birthday over the summer and they were a huge hit! It’s no secret that chocolate and peanut butter are an award winning combination, and these cupcakes from scratch are the prime example of that.

The cupcakes are perfectly moist and tender with a rich chocolate flavor and sweet chocolate chips mixed throughout. Then topped off with a creamy, nutty and sweet peanut butter frosting to make each bite absolute perfection.

Not only are they out of this word delicious, but they look beautiful too! Your guests won’t believe these chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting didn’t come from the local bakery down the street. They are the perfect treat to make for special occasions and always get rave reviews. Mmm… I can’t wait to make these again!

Recipe Ingredients

It only takes a few simple ingredients to make this recipe for chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. Check out what you’ll need to get started below.

Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes ingredients on counter.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Chocolate cupcakes: I used my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe from cake mix which is just as delicious as making chocolate cupcakes from scratch, but a bit easier and quicker. They’re made with a box of devil’s food cake mix, dry instant chocolate pudding mix, chocolate chips, eggs, canola oil and sour cream.
  • Butter: Unsalted butter is best so that the frosting isn’t too salty. Make sure it’s at room temperature before using. If you forget to sit it out on the counter before getting started, learn how to soften butter quickly in just a few minutes.
  • Peanut butter: A creamy peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy will give the frosting the best consistency. I don’t recommend using a natural drippy nut butter, as it alters the texture.
  • Powdered sugar: Used to sweeten the frosting and add a thick texture.
  • Vanilla: A small boost of pure vanilla extract adds great flavor in the frosting.
  • Heavy cream: Used to thin out the frosting if needed. Milk also works great for this.
  • Salt: A small pinch of sea salt helps balance out the sweetness of the frosting.

Decorations

With just a few simple decorations, these peanut butter chocolate cupcakes will look like they came from a professional bakery! Add a drizzle of melted chocolate or chocolate ganache on top of the frosting, then top with a Reese’s peanut butter cup, chopped peanuts or a buckeye candy. So pretty and super delicious!

How to Make Peanut Butter Cupcakes

In just an hour, you can have bakery-style chocolate peanut butter cupcakes ready for your family or guests to devour. Learn how to make them below.

Step by step collage showing how to make chocolate peanut butter cupcakes.
  • Make chocolate cupcake batter. Pour the dry cake mix and chocolate pudding mix into a large bowl and give it a quick whisk. Mix in the chocolate chips, then add in the eggs, canola oil and water. Add the sour cream and stir just until combined. Then pour the batter into cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way full.
  • Bake in oven. Bake at 325°F for about 20 to 25 minutes. Use a toothpick to test if the cupcakes are ready. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
  • Prepare frosting. While the cupcakes cool, prepare the peanut butter buttercream. Beat the softened butter and nut butter with a handheld electric mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment) until smooth and fluffy, then slowly mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla. If the frosting is too thick, use the heavy cream to thin it out.
  • Decorate. Once cooled, pipe the frosting over the cupcakes and add any desired decorations on top.

Expert Tips

  • Piping the frosting. If using a 1M frosting tip with a piping bag, you want the consistency to be thick enough to hold a point. If you find that the consistency is a little too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar to thicken it up. Learn tips for how to frost the perfect cupcakes.
  • Prevent sinking. Mix the chocolate chips in with the dry ingredients to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
  • Do not over mix the batter. Mix just until combined, so the cupcakes stay soft and moist.
  • Even more peanut butter. For an extra boost of flavor, you can add a miniature Reese’s cup in the center of the cupcakes. Fill the cupcake liners halfway with batter, then add the Reese’s cup, then pour the remaining batter on top until 3/4 of the way full. Another option is to stuff the cupcakes with a peanut butter filling once cooked and cooled.

Recipe FAQs

How do you store chocolate peanut butter cupcakes?

They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Make sure to tightly cover the frosting with plastic wrap so that it stays soft and fresh.

Can they be frozen?

They can, although I recommend freezing the unfrosted cupcakes and then adding the frosting after thawing. Wrap the cupcakes tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge overnight, then frost and enjoy!

What is the secret to moist cupcakes?

The key ingredients in this recipe for creating a super moist cupcake are the dry instant chocolate pudding mix and sour cream. The pudding mix helps make a super soft crumb, while the acidity in the sour cream adds extra moisture.

5 star review

These cupcakes were not that much work and turned out excellent. They were moist and the frosting was great too. Easy to do, great tasting and a great presentation (I used mini Reese’s cups for décor). Great recipe!

– Jennifer
Chocolate peanut butter frosting on a white plate.

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Chocolate peanut butter frosting on a white plate.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

5 from 9 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
All chocolate and peanut butter lovers are going to LOVE these chocolate peanut butter cupcakes! Made with my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe and a creamy peanut butter frosting on top.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 24

Video

Ingredients 

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 15 ounce box devil’s food cake mix
  • 3.9 ounce box instant chocolate pudding , dry
  • ½ cup chocolate chips , optional
  • 4 large eggs
  • ¾ cup canola oil
  • ¾ cup warm water
  • 8 ounces sour cream

Peanut Butter Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
  • 1- 1 ½ cup creamy peanut butter , more if desired
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar , start with 3 and add more as needed
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3-5 Tablespoons heavy cream , more if needed
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

For topping: reeses peanut butter cups or buckeyes

    Instructions

    Chocolate Cupcakes

    • Preheat oven to 325°F. Line cupcake liners in 2 muffin pans. 
    • In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and chocolate pudding with a wooden spoon. Add the chocolate chips in now if desired (this will prevent them from sinking) and stir until combined. Next mix in the eggs, canola oil and water. Then stir in the sour cream and mix just until combined.
    • Pour cupcake mixture into the liners (about 3/4 the way full). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean. Allow to cool on cooling rack.

    Peanut Butter Frosting

    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and peanut butter in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.
    • Slowly mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Add in more heavy cream as needed to thin it out. You can also add more powdered sugar if needed to thicken. Mix until the frosting is smooth and creamy and you’ve reached your desired consistency. Taste and add more peanut butter if you'd like. If you are piping the frosting, it should be fairly thick.
    • Once cooled, frost your cupcakes using a 1M frosting tip.

    Notes

    Storage: Cover frosting tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator up to 1 week. 
    Frosting: See my tips for how to frost a cupcake

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 301mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 371IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian

    Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

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