Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream

Chocolate + peanut butter = a match made in heaven

These Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream are nothing short of delicious. This flavor combination is a classic for a reason.

These cupcakes are bonkers good.

To paraphrase the late Anthony Bourdain: These cupcakes definitely don't suck.

In fact, I'm slightly obsessed with these cupcakes. Not only are they delicious, but I think they look pretty, too! I finally bit the bullet and decided to try to use a piping bag! Not a professional job, by any means, but I think they don't look too shabby.

Using a piping bag was actually one of my "resolutions" for 2014. Since I baked these at the end of December, it still counts as having fulfilled that resolution.

Once I frosted them, it was getting to be a little late in the day and the light was starting to fade in my kitchen. I actually ended up photographing these on my back deck on new year's eve. I set up on the table beside our charcoal grill and got to shooting. Not sure if anyone saw me out there...

Need more chocolate and/or peanut butter goodness?

Need more chocolate? This Double the Chocolate Cake is 10/10.

How about PB? Try these Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars!

Want them together? What about this Almost No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie? Don't forget about this Peanut Butter Marshmallow Pie with Pretzel Crust, either. There's this Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Dark Chocolate Ganache, too.

What inspired this recipe?

Both the cake and frosting recipes come from Joy the Baker's cookbook, Homemade Decadence.

✨ Recipe

Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Peanut Butter Buttercream

Lauren Pacek

These Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream are nothing short of delicious. This flavor combination is a classic for a reason.

4.75 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Cupcakes

Cuisine American

Servings 24 cupcakes

Calories 1265 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the chocolate cupcakes

• ▢ 3 cups cake flour
• ▢ ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 16 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 1 ½ cups light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 eggs room temperature
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 cups buttermilk

For the salted peanut butter buttercream frosting 

• ▢ 32 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 1 ½ cups smooth peanut butter
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 6-7 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 3-4 tablespoon heavy cream or milk

Instructions

 

To make the cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin tin with liners. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt together. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for a minute or so after adding each egg. Add the vanilla extract.
• Lower the speed of the mixer to low, add half of the flour mixture, and beat until it is well-incorporated. Slowly stream in the buttermilk until it is all combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until it is just combined. Finish stirring everything with a spatula, if necessary.
• Fill the liners ⅔ of the way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a knife/toothpick, when inserted into the center of the cupcake, comes out clean.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and place them on a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

To make the frosting

• Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until it is softened (about 1 minute).
• Add the peanut butter, salt, and vanilla extract and beat well.
• Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat on low until well combined.
• Add another 2 cups of sugar along with 3 tbs of heavy cream/milk. Beat until combined.
• Add the remaining 2-3 cups of sugar (depending on your desired consistency) and remaining cream/milk and beat until the frosting reaches the desired thickness.
• Beat on medium speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy (about 4 minutes).
• Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost them. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 1265kcalCarbohydrates: 237gProtein: 8gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 388mgFiber: 2gSugar: 214g

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

What gear should I have on hand to make these cupcakes?

• Cupcake/muffin tins
• Spatulas
• Cupcake liners!
• Piping bags and a piping tip, if you want to get fancy

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