Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

front shot of five chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting on marble surface with peanut butter cups and peanuts scattered around.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting...aka the perfect cupcake for all the chocolate and peanut butter lovers! A light, fluffy, and moist chocolate cupcake, filled with a mini peanut butter cup, and frosted with the most delicious peanut butter frosting. There is just SO much to love!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 22

Total Time: 52

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 594kcal

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1½ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup bittersweet chocolate
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
⅞ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg room temperature
1 large egg yolk room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup whole milk room temperature
15 mini peanut butter cups

Frosting

1¼ cup smooth peanut butter
⅝ cup unsalted butter room temperature
⅓ teaspoon salt
5 cups powdered sugar sifted
1¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup whole milk

Instructions

Cupcakes

Heat oven to 350℉/177℃.
Line muffin tins with paper liners or spray with baking spray. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a microwave proof bowl, heat chocolate in 15 second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
Mix in chocolate.
Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Use a 3 Tablespoon cookie scoop to portion batter into prepared pans.
Insert 1 peanut butter cup in center of each cupcake.
Cover peanut butter cup with ½ Tablespoon of batter.
Bake for 20-22 minutes, until puffed and cooked through.

Frosting

With an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter and butter until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Add salt, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.
Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Notes

Substitutions:

This recipe can be made vegan by using a non-dairy butter, plant-based milk, your favorite vegan egg, and a plant based peanut butter cup. For the frosting, use your favorite vegan butter and plant-based milk.
To make this recipe gluten-free, be sure to use your favorite 1:1 gluten free all-purpose flour. Be sure to check the ingredients on the peanut butter cups to ensure no gluten.

Expert Tips:

Check the expiration date on your baking powder and baking soda.
Room temperature is about 70℉/21℃.
Remember to preheat your oven!
Don’t let the melted chocolate for the cake sit too long before stirring in the cake batter. The longer you let it cool, the higher chance you have of it solidifying. If you need to, you can always remelt it in the microwave.
Be careful not to over-mix your batter.
The chocolate cupcake batter is very thick! It's intended to be to hold the peanut butter cup in place as it bakes.
It can be difficult to test if these cupcakes are baked, as the peanut butter cup is in the center. You can use a toothpick or cake tester near the center, being sure to avoid the peanut butter cup, to test the doneness of each cupcake.
Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them.
Do not use natural peanut butter for this recipe, as it is softer than traditional peanut butter and may cause the frosting to be too soft.
Make sure you use creamy/smooth peanut butter for the frosting.

Nutrition