Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
These are the best peanut butter cup cupcakes! They’re moist chocolate cupcakes filled with peanut butter ganache and topped with peanut butter cream cheese frosting. They’re the perfect thing to bake for the peanut butter lover in your life!
If you’re looking for other delicious cupcakes, check out my strawberry cupcakes, white chocolate cupcakes, pumpkin cupcakes, chocolate raspberry cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, salted caramel cupcakes, or carrot cake cupcakes!
Why You’ll Love these Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
They’re filled with peanut butter ganache. Good enough to eat on a spoon! Each bite tastes just like a peanut butter cup!
They’re super soft and moist. The sour cream and whole milk keep the cupcakes extra tender, while the all purpose flour gives them their perfect, fluffy, bouncy texture.
They’re topped with the best creamy peanut butter frosting. The frosting truly makes each bite just completely melt in your mouth.
Ingredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Flour- all purpose flour is used for the best crumb
- Sugar– granulated sugar is used to sweeten and add moisture to the cupcakes
- Unsalted Butter– make sure it is softened at room temperature
- Whole Milk– helps to keep the cupcakes moist, make sure it’s room temperature
- Sour Cream– I recommend full fat sour cream for the best textured cupcake, make sure it’s at room temperature
- Cocoa Powder– I recommend Dutch-process cocoa powder for a really rich chocolate flavor
- Vanilla Extract– adds a sweet note to the cupcakes
- Eggs– one whole egg and one yolk are used in these cupcakes , make sure they’re room temperature
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder– helps the cupcakes to rise and gives them their perfect fluffy texture
- Salt– brings out all the flavors in these cupcakes
- Peanut Butter Chips- I recommend using Reese’s peanut butter chips
- Cream Cheese– used for the delicious frosting
- Powdered Sugar– used to sweeten the frosting
- Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups– for topping the cupcakes with
Step by Step Instructions for Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
Please see recipe card below for full recipe with complete measurements and baking time.
STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the dry ingredients.
STEP TWO: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and granulated white sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. (If using the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)
STEP THREE: Next add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until pale and smooth.
STEP FOUR: Add in the sour cream and milk and mix on medium-low. (The mixture will look curdled at this point, but it will pull together once the dry ingredients are added.)
STEP FIVE: Add in the flour mixture and mix on low speed, just until the batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
STEP SIX: Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and divide the chocolate cupcake batter among each. Fill each cup two-thirds to three-quarters full. Bake and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
STEP SEVEN: To make the peanut butter ganache, add the peanut butter chips to a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan, on the stove over medium heat just until steaming. Pour the hot cream over the peanut butter chips. Stir to combine the melted peanut butter chips and cream together. Let the ganache cool to room temperature, stirring as it cools. (It will thicken once cooled, and as it is stirred.) Once cooled, transfer the peanut butter ganache to a piping bag.
STEP EIGHT: To make the peanut butter frosting, add the butter a large bowl. Whip with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 to 10 minutes until the butter is pale, fluffy and double in size. Add in the cream cheese and mix on medium speed until combined. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time, mixing on low speed until all is combined. Add the peanut butter to the frosting and combine on low, then high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.
STEP NINE: Once cooled, remove the center of each cupcake using a cupcake corer. Fill the middle of the cupcakes with peanut butter ganache. Then pipe the peanut butter frosting on top of the cupcakes. Top each with mini peanut butter cups and serve!
FAQs
How long will these cupcakes stay fresh for? They’ll stay fresh for up to three days in an airtight container.
Can this be made into a cake recipe? I would recommend using my chocolate cake recipe, and then topping with a double batch of the peanut butter frosting from the recipe card below!
Can the cupcakes be made ahead of time? I would recommend making the cupcakes just a day in advance before you plan to serve them. Any longer and you risk them just not being as fresh! Fill them with the peanut butter ganache and frost them shortly before serving!
Pro Tips
Measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. Instead sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour. 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams.
Make sure all your wet ingredients are room temperature. You’ll have the best textured cupcakes when the ingredients are room temperature instead of cold. Cold wet ingredients can the cupcakes turn out “gummy”.
Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the cupcake batter into the liners. This helps to more easily distribute the batter evenly among the liners.
A cupcake corer will really come in hand when assembling these cupcakes! It removes the centers of the cupcakes evenly and quickly!
Trouble shooting frosting: If the frosting gets too warm after it’s made, pop it I the fridge for 5-10 minutes. Then mix with an electric mixer to get it fluffy again. Pipe on cupcakes as usual.
If you make these cupcakes, please leave a star review! Tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Recipes to Try Next Time
Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (25 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup (61 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
For the Peanut Butter Ganache
- 3/4 cup (150 g) Reese's peanut butter chips
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
For the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, cold
- 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (128 g) creamy peanut butter , Jif or similar, not natural peanut butter
- mini Reese's peanut butter cups, for topping
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a standard cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside the dry ingredients.1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (25 g) Dutch process cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and granulated white sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. (If using the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
- Next add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until pale and smooth.1 egg, at room temperature, 1 egg yolk, at room temperature, 1 tsp vanilla
- Add in the sour cream and milk and mix on medium-low. (The mixture will look curdled at this point, but it will pull together once the dry ingredients are added.)1/4 cup (61 g) sour cream, at room temperature, 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- Add in the flour mixture and mix on low speed, just until the batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Divide the chocolate cupcake batter among each liner. Fill each cup two-thirds to three-quarters full.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick/cake tester comes out clean from the centers with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the Peanut Butter Ganache
- Add the peanut butter chips to a medium bowl.3/4 cup (150 g) Reese's peanut butter chips
- Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan, on the stove over medium heat just until steaming.1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- Pour the hot cream over the peanut butter chips. Stir to combine the melted peanut butter chips and cream together. Let the ganache cool to room temperature, stirring as it cools. (It will thicken once cooled, and as it is stirred.)
- Once cooled, transfer the peanut butter ganache to a piping bag.
For the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the butter a large bowl. Whip with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 to 10 minutes until the butter is pale, fluffy and has doubled in size.1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- Add in the cream cheese and mix on medium speed until combined.4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, cold
- Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time, mixing on low speed until all is combined.2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
- Add the peanut butter to the frosting and combine on low, then high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.1/2 cup (128 g) creamy peanut butter
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Once cooled, remove the center of each cupcake using a cupcake corer.
- Fill the middle of each cupcake with peanut butter ganache. Then pipe the peanut butter frosting on top of the cupcakes.
- Top each with mini peanut butter cups and serve!mini Reese's peanut butter cups, for topping
Can’t wait to try these! What size ice cream scoop and decorative tip did you use please?
Delicious recipe, as per usual! The cupcakes turned out perfect when I baked them for 17 minutes. The ganache and frosting are the perfect addition to a chocolate cupcake.
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