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These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes are my go-to cupcake recipe! They’re rich, dark, and insanely moist. The Peanut Butter Buttercream on top is the perfect pairing, and only has 4 ingredients.

[Post updated with new photos, writing, and a video. Originally published October 2011]

Even though I’m not solely a baker, I would totally go to that Cupcake Wars show with these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes. They’ve become my go-to when I need cupcakes for something, whether it’s for a party, to give to a neighbor, or to satisfy a chocolate cupcake craving.

The bonus to this recipe is it’s pretty easy to make, and you can use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour. The Chocolate Cupcake batter doesn’t have anything out of the ordinary in it, and the peanut butter buttercream only has 4 ingredients that you whip together in a bowl.

The reason I mention that is because usually I’m somewhat of a buttercream snob and prefer to make it without confectioner’s sugar so I can avoid the subtle grittiness that comes with it.

But because the peanut butter is such a big component of the buttercream, it’s much less noticeable, and the buttercream is plenty luscious, light, and smooth.

Or to say it another way: When you put the peanut butter buttercream in a piping bag, you’ll find yourself piping little tastes onto your finger, and think momentarily about piping some into your mouth (real talk, here).

Let me show you how to make them!

To get started, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt:

In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk (I’ve done this successfully with milk or almond milk mixed with a little vinegar), vegetable oil, one egg, and vanilla:

Add the wet to the dry:

When the flour is almost incorporated, pause for a moment:

Add coffee to the mixture, then finish mixing until the flour streaks disappear. The batter will be very thin:

Divide evenly into 12 cupcake wells:

Bake for 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean:

They will be so dark and chocolatey!

Make the peanut butter buttercream by whipping together butter, confectioner’s sugar, peanut butter, and a little vanilla:

Pipe the buttercream onto cooled cupcakes, then I like to drizzle a little bit of chocolate syrup on top and add chopped peanuts for garnish.

(You can google chocolate syrup, but I recently used this recipe).

Everything is so soft and tender, and the peanut butter buttercream is OH so smooth:

Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Yield: 1 dozen cupcakes

Prep Time:10 minutes

Cook Time:22 minutes

Total Time:35 minutes

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes are my go-to cupcake recipe! They’re rich, dark, and insanely moist. The Peanut Butter Buttercream on top is the perfect pairing, and only has 4 ingredients.

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• 3.75 oz all purpose flour (3/4 cup, measured)
• 1/4 cup+ 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup whole buttermilk*
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coffee
• chocolate syrup or chocolate ganache, for drizzling, optional
• chopped peanuts, for garnish, optional

For the peanut butter buttercream:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (2 sticks)
• 5 oz confectioner’s sugar (1 cup)
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk to combine the buttermilk, grapeseed oil, egg, and vanilla. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry while stirring, and before the flour has disappeared into the batter, stir in the coffee. It will make the batter quite thin. Evenly divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups, but make sure they are no more than 3/4 full.
4. Bake for 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack completely.
5. To make the buttercream, beat all buttercream ingredients in a bowl until smooth and blended, about 3 minutes on high speed.
6. Pipe on the buttercream as desired. Optional: drizzle with chocolate syrup, and sprinkle on some chopped peanuts. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

*I’ve successfully substituted 1/2 cup milk or almond milk mixed with 1 teaspoon white vinegar.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 1 dozen cupcakes, Serving Size: 1 cupcake

• Amount Per Serving:
• Calories: 429
• Total Fat: 29.1g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Cholesterol: 62mg
• Sodium: 306mg
• Carbohydrates: 40.6g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 31g
• Protein: 7.5g

Cake portion adapted from Ina Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake

All images and text ©Fifteen Spatulas.

More Homemade Dessert Recipes:

Irish Cream Cupcakes with Caramelized White Chocolate Buttercream

Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Salted Caramel Chocolate Ganache Tart

Coconut Oil Brownies

If you need more chocolate and peanut butter after these cupcakes, bake up a batch of these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies!