Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe is a must-try!
These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes are rich, decadent, and loaded with everyone’s favorite flavor combo. Moist chocolate cake hides a surprise Reese’s center, topped with fluffy peanut butter frosting and finished with a drizzle of chocolate ganache. Whether for birthdays, bake sales, or midnight cravings, these cupcakes steal the spotlight every time.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup hot water
24 mini Reese’s cups
For the Peanut Butter Frosting
18 tablespoons salted butter, softened
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
3¾ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons heavy cream
12 mini Reese’s cups, halved (for garnish)
For the Chocolate Ganache
⅓ cup heavy cream
½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
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In another bowl, combine oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly whisk in hot water.
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Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth, about 2–3 minutes.
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Fill each cupcake liner ⅓ full. Press a mini Reese’s into the center of each. Add more batter until liners are ⅔ full.
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Bake for 14–17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted around the edge comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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To make the frosting, beat butter and peanut butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
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For the ganache, heat heavy cream in the microwave until just steaming. Add chocolate chips, let sit for 2–3 minutes, then stir until smooth.
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Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Top with a halved mini Reese’s and drizzle ganache over the top.
Notes
You can use unsalted butter in the frosting—just add a pinch of salt.
Cupcakes can be made a day ahead and frosted the next day. Store in an airtight container.
For extra chocolate, add mini chocolate chips to the batter before baking.
Let ganache cool slightly before drizzling for the best consistency.