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Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes combine a rich chocolate cake with a creamy peanut butter cream cheese frosting for a classic flavor pairing that always works.
The cupcakes are soft and full of deep chocolate flavor, while the frosting adds a smooth, slightly tangy finish that balances the sweetness. Filled with frosting and topped with a mini Reese’s, they have just the right mix of texture and flavor in every bite.
For a full cake instead of cupcakes, take a look at my triple chocolate layer cake. It uses a similar chocolate base and adapts well to this frosting.
Here’s Why This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake Recipe Works
Hot coffee deepens the chocolate flavor: It blooms the cocoa and gives the cupcakes a richer taste.
Oil and milk keep the crumb soft: The batter bakes into cupcakes that stay moist and tender.
The frosting is rich but balanced: Peanut butter and cream cheese make it creamy, flavorful, and not overly sweet.
They hold up well for filling: The cupcakes are sturdy enough to handle a filled center and a generous swirl on top.
To make these cupcakes, I used the recipe for my chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. It is fast and easy to mix up, and it stays incredibly moist and tender.
Recipe Tips
Use hot coffee, not boiling: Hot coffee helps dissolve the cocoa and brings out more chocolate flavor without scorching it.
Do not overfill the liners: Fill them just over halfway since this batter rises well in the oven.
Adjust the frosting if needed: If it feels too thick, add a small splash of milk. If it gets too soft for piping, chill it for a bit before using.
Use a piping bag for the filling: It is the easiest way to get frosting into the center without making a mess.
Finish with mini Reese’s: They add a little texture on top and make the chocolate-peanut butter combo obvious from the start.
Let the cupcakes cool completely before filling: If they’re even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and get messy inside.
Store in the fridge, but serve at room temp: The frosting firms up when chilled, so let the cupcakes sit out a bit before serving for the best texture.
If you want a different option for the frosting, you can swap in my chocolate cream cheese frosting or a simple American buttercream instead.
If you want a full-size cake with the same flavor combo, my chocolate peanut butter layer cake is a good one to make next.
Key Ingredient Notes
Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened natural cocoa powder for this recipe. It reacts with the baking soda to help the cupcakes rise and gives them a deep chocolate flavor.
Hot coffee: You won’t taste the coffee, but it brings out more depth in the cocoa. Hot water works in a pinch, but the flavor won’t be quite as rich.
Oil: Oil keeps these cupcakes softer than butter-based recipes and helps them stay moist longer.
Milk: Adds structure and keeps the crumb tender. Whole milk works best, but 2% will still give good results.
Cream cheese: Use full-fat, block-style cream cheese. The spreadable kind is too soft and can make the frosting loose.
Peanut butter: Stick with a standard creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy). Natural peanut butter can separate and make the frosting greasy.
Powdered sugar: Keeps the frosting smooth and stable. You can adjust slightly to make the frosting thicker or softer.
Mini Reese’s: These add a little texture and make the chocolate-peanut butter combo obvious right away.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes are easy to make and easy to share. The frosting in the center gives them a little something extra, and the mini Reese’s on top makes them a fun choice for birthdays, parties, or any time you want a dessert that feels a bit more special than plain cupcakes.
If you’re looking for another cupcake recipe, my red velvet cupcakes are just as easy to make.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
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Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 80 grams
- 1 cup hot coffee, 240 grams
- 2 cups granulated sugar, 400 grams
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour, 210 grams
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1½ cups creamy peanut butter
- 4 ounces butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
Topping
- 36 Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 12 cupcake tins with paper cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the hot coffee and cocoa together until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a whisk, blend and sift the ingredients together.
- Add the eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and the cocoa mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds until the dry ingredients are moist. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and beat for another minute. The batter will be thin.
- Fill the cupcake tins just over half full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool in the cupcake tins for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Combine the cream cheese, peanut butter and butter in a medium-size mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Stop the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the milk, vanilla and salt. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the powdered sugar and blend on very low speed or by hand until the sugar is absorbed. If you start the mixer too fast you will create a sugar-dust cloud in the kitchen.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and blend 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Stop the mixer partway through to scrape down the sides.
Fill and frost the cupcakes:
- Fill the cupcakes: You can do this easily by filling a pastry bag with frosting and pushing the tip partway down into the cupcake. Gently squeeze the bag so that frosting gets pushed into the center of the cupcake. If you see the cupcake start to bulge then stop squeezing. Another way to fill the cupcakes is to cut a small core out of the center of each cupcake and pipe the frosting inside.
- Spread the frosting onto the cupcakes with a knife or use a decorator bag or a ziplock bag to pipe it on.
- Garnish with a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Yumm
thanks Sabrina, its an addictive treat