Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
If you’re craving rich, chocolatey cupcakes topped with the dreamiest peanut butter frosting—but don’t want to start completely from scratch—you’re going to love this shortcut recipe. These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes are made with a doctored cake mix, giving you that homemade taste with half the effort. And the peanut butter frosting? Creamy, fluffy, and dangerously addictive.
Super Moist and Rich. Thanks to a few key upgrades, this boxed mix turns out cupcakes that taste like they came straight from Grandma’s.
Quick & Easy – No need to measure flour or sift cocoa powder. You’ll have these in the oven in less than 10 minutes.
Perfectly Pair with Peanut Butter Frosting – Chocolate + peanut butter is always a win, and this frosting is silky smooth and not too sweet.
Make-ahead Friendly. These cupcakes freeze beautifully—just frost them after thawing.
How long will these cupcakes last? Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
Making Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Start with the cupcakes.
Purchase a box of Devil’s Food cake mix, such as Betty Crocker’s Super Moist.
It calls for one cup of water, which you will replace with whole milk. Add the oil and eggs as directed, then add in an additional half cup of sour cream. The sour cream really makes them moist and tasting homemade.
Also, add in some espresso instant coffee, which intensifies the chocolaty flavor.
Mix these wet ingredients together in a large bowl, then reduce the beaters to LOW speed, and add the cake mix. Stir just until combined.
In other words, avoid over mixing or the batter can become dense and tough. You’ll end up with hockey pucks instead of moist and fluffy cupcakes.
Bake as directed on the box. So, for cupcakes, line two muffin pans with cupcake liners and bake in a preheated oven set at 350° for 15 – 20 minutes. With the added sour cream, I baked mine for 20 minutes.
Insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If it comes out clean or with tiny dry crumbs, they’re done. If the toothpick appears wet, bake for another couple minutes, then check again.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then let them cool completely on a wire rack.
In the meantime, you can start the frosting.
Peanut Butter Frosting
First, this has to be one of my favorites. The peanut butter flavor is subtle, not over powering, and there’s a creaminess about it that is heavenly. I find it very similar to the peanut butter filling in a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.
So, with that said, let’s make some. Beat the butter and peanut butter until thoroughly combined; light, and fluffy.
Next, add in the powdered sugar, alternating with the heavy cream.
Lastly, throw in a pinch of salt for good luck. Increase the speed back up to MEDIUM-HIGH to aerate the frosting, scraping sides as needed.
You can also add in a tablespoon of Wilton’s Meringue Powder for added stability if piping.
This recipe makes enough easily for 24 cupcakes, a 13 x 9″ cake, or a 2-layer cake. Frost away!
More Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes:
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
- Peanut Butter Brownie Bars
- Chunky Peanut Butter Brownie Bars
- Chocolate Chunk Muffins
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies using peanut butter chips
If you tried and love this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment below. Thank you so much.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk (instead of water)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tsp. espresso instant coffee
- 13.25 oz. box Devil's Food cake mix, such as Betty Crocker's Super Moist
Peanut Butter Frosting:
- 1 heaping cup peanut butter, creamy
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 – 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, or whole milk
- pinch of salt
- OPTIONAL: 1 tablespoon of Wilton's Meringue Powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and line two muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners.
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- In large bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, oil, sour cream, and instant coffee. Once combined, add in the dry cake mix with beaters on LOW. Stir until mixed, but do not over mix.
- Divide cake batter evenly into cupcake liners and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with dry crumbs. If wet, bake a couple more minutes, then test again.
- Let cupcakes cool in muffin pans for 10 minutes, then remove them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Peanut Butter Frosting:
- Beat the peanut butter and butter on MEDIUM-HIGH until light and fluffy. Reduce beaters to LOW and add powdered sugar alternating with the heavy cream. Don't forget the pinch of salt. Beat on MEDIUM-HIGH until fluffy. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes.
- The frosting is on the softer side, so if piping, you may want to add a tablespoon of Wilton's Meringue Powder for added stability. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
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