Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes – Moist chocolate cupcakes stuffed with peanut butter cups and topped with peanut butter frosting and chopped peanut butter cups. VIDEO below!
Today I’m bringing you an oldie. And by “oldie” I’m referring to this recipe which was originally published 3 years ago when this blog was a wee little babe.
The photos for this recipe desperately needed to be updated and I desperately needed to sink my teeth into a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake … so, here we are. Same delicious recipe, new prettier photos, and my current craving for chocolate and peanut butter satisfied.
Chocolate and peanut butter have to be one of the all-time best combinations. As much I as I love each on their own, they are so delicious when paired. My family absolutely LOVES chocolate and peanut butter, so these cupcakes were quickly devoured.
Those peanut butter cups on top practically scream “EAT ME!”. If you can walk past one of these cupcakes without taking a huge bite, you have way more willpower than me. These are one of my favorite cupcake recipes ever.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cups!
Here’s what we have going on here:
- Moist, light and super fluffy chocolate cupcakes.
- Peanut butter cups INSIDE each cupcake!
- Creamy peanut butter frosting swirled on top.
- A drizzle of chocolate sauce (optional).
- More peanut butter cups sprinkled on top.
It’s chocolate peanut butter heaven!
The cupcake and frosting recipes are both super simple. The cupcake batter is made in one bowl; no mixer needed! Check out the video below to see how these cupcakes come together.
Find a reason to make these beauties. They are everything you’d dream they would be. Grab a glass of milk and enjoy!
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Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Moist chocolate cupcakes stuffed with peanut butter cups and topped with peanut butter frosting and chopped peanut butter cups.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- about 30 miniature peanut butter cups 15 left whole (for filling the cupcakes) and the other 15 coarsely chopped (for topping the cupcakes)
Peanut Butter Frosting:
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 generous cup creamy peanut butter
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup to 1/3 half and half
- 1/4 cup hot fudge sauce for drizzling (make sure it's not hot)
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 15 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Set aside.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Once combined, beat in egg, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water until well combined; the batter will be thin.
Pour the batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Place one peanut butter cup in the middle of each of the cups of batter, no need to press it down, as it will sink as the cupcakes bake.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 18 minutes, until they have puffed up slightly and the tops spring back when you touch them.
Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
Beat the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt for several minutes, until smooth. Slowly add in half and half until you reach your desired consistency.
Using a butter knife or a pastry bag with a piping tip, generously frost the tops of all the cupcakes. Drizzle with hot fudge sauce (not hot) and sprinkle with chopped peanut butter cups.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Cake adapted from Hershey's
Frosting from Ina Garten
Please pass me one of these now, I adore peanut butter cups. I agree with you that peanut butter and chocolate are great on their own but one paired up it takes it to the next level. Pinning for sure. Visiting from Saturday Night Live Link Party. I co-host Sweet and Savoury Sunday and would love for you to share these yummy cupcakes with us and more. Stop by when the party goes live tonight, have a great weekend!
Thanks, Laura! I’d love to participate in your link-up. See you there! 🙂
These look absolutely AMAZING!! I love peanut butter & chocolate (who doesn’t?) especially in the form of peanut butter cups! Thanks so much for sharing at Saturday Night Fever….pinning this to our party board!
These have been featured as one of my favourites over at Sweet and Savoury Sunday. Stop by tomorrow night when the party goes live, grab a button and link up with us again. Happy Easter, have a great weekend!
Awesome! Thanks, Laura. 🙂
Oh my goodness! Excuse me while I wipe the drool from my mouth! These look absolutely delicious and I LOVE how fancy they look too. I am definitely going to have to try these. They would be a great addition to my next party spread…or to just eat on my own! Luci’s Morsels | fashion. food. frivolity.
I these these look like the best cupcakes ever. I adore peanut butter, an love what you have donw with the swirl
Peanut butter cups are one of my weaknesses. These cupcakes look amazing – well done!
What a decadent treat. Love the hidden PB cup in the bottoms!
These cupcakes are the stuff that dreams are made of! CHOCOLATE cupcakes topped with PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING, PEANUT BUTTER CUPS, and CHOCOLATE SYRUP?! Just STOP! You’re killing me! Seriously though. The kids are going to go bonkers over these gorgeous cupcakes—if there are any left after my hubster sees them. 😉
Pretty cupcakes. So creative.
I would polish them all off!
Question: do you or should you spray cupcake liners with no stick spray?
Question: Are the peanut butter cups suppose to melt while baking?
Issue: Some of the cupcakes in the same tin randomly situated in the tin collapsed upon removing from oven. Some were still literally liquid cake batter. Any thoughts as to why some puffed up and baked through while others did not.
Comment: The frosting was amazing and those cupcakes that actually baked through were fabulous.
No, I do not spray the cupcake liners. The pb cups will not melt completely but they will soften slightly. Once the cupcakes cool the pb cups will firm up a bit. I’m sorry to hear about your issue with some of the batter not cooking through. Maybe your oven isn’t baking evenly? That’s the only thing I can think of. Thanks for stopping by!
Oh my! Those look like Heaven! My favorite chocolate treat is peanut butter cups straight out of the freezer. I love the idea of putting the cups in the bottom of the cupcake. These are a must try!
These looks so good! My boyfriend loves peanut butter cups, I’ll have to make these!
Peanut butter and chocolate is my favorite combination when it comes to sweets!
I’m somewhat a baking novice but I was wondering if there is anyway to prevent the pb cup from descending to the the bottom?
sarriewebdesigns.com/blog
These sound amazingly decadent and delicious!! All peanut butter lovers unite!
xoxo
Annie
These sound SO SO GOOD! Why did I read this before breakfast >.>
These look so delicious! Definitely need to try this recipe!
Mmmm…these peanut butter cupcakes look so incredibly scrumptious! I’d love to whip up a batch tomorrow morning. Thank you so much for sharing this fabulous recipe inspiration!
These look amazing! I love how you added the peanut butter cups to the inside of the cupcake! I’ve done something similar before with brownies!
It took me a few seconds to stop staring at your delicious looking pictures! This recipe sounds fabulous.
Holy moly these look amazing!!!! I need one asap!
That looks delicious! I am definitely going to add this to my bookmarks!
Nicole Parise – NicoleParise.com
These look absolutely heavenly!!
Hello, do you have any hints on how to get the peanut butter cup in the middle of the cupcake instead of on the bottom? Could it work to let the cupcakes bake for a few minutes and then add the peanut butter cup? I have tried this recipe several times and it often is on the bottom… just curious, everything tastes delicious, thank you!!
Hi, Cheryl. I wish I had the magic trick for this, but I don’t. The pb cup always sinks for me, too (you can even see it in the 2nd photo in my post). Fortunately, we enjoy it just fine that way. You can absolutely try adding it after a few minutes of bake time, just don’t wait too long to where the cake is already starting to cook through. If that works, let me know. I’m glad you like these. Thanks for stopping by!
These were so good! I used “natural” peanut butter so my frosting came out a little oily but these cupcakes were still delicious!
Glad to hear that! Thanks for stopping by!