Rich chocolate cupcakes made with a molten peanut butter cup center, topped with creamy peanut butter frosting and optional chocolate ganache. Decadent, layered flavors in every bite.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Combines chocolate cake and peanut butter cups in one delightful bite.

• Multiple layers: cake, frosting, optional ganache, and crunchy garnish.

• Baker and dessert in one—cupcake meets candy.

• Rich, indulgent, and visually impressive.

• Great for parties, birthdays, or anytime you want a showstopper.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes are a celebration of everything we love about chocolate and peanut butter in dessert form. The cupcake batter starts with a base of all‑purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda/powder, and salt. Into that, you fold melted butter and chocolate along with sugars and carefully integrated eggs, sour cream, and hot water (or coffee) to deepen the chocolate flavor and ensure moist texture. Once baked, each cupcake is designed to harbor a peanut butter cup in its heart.

Frosting is equally dramatic: rich, whipped butter infused with vanilla and then blended with confectioners’ sugar, milk, and creamy peanut butter until fluffy and luxurious. A chocolate ganache option adds a silky chocolate drizzle over the top. When piped atop each cupcake, the frosting covers the hidden peanut butter cup, and the ganache (if used) melts into the frosting, creating a glossy finish. Garnish a final touch of chopped peanuts, mini peanut butter cups, or chopped chocolate.

The experience is multilayered: bite through cake into frosting into hidden peanut butter cup, with ganache binding everything. The visual appeal is strong, and the tastes play together—chocolate, peanut butter, sweet and salty. These cupcakes are a statement dessert, perfect for special occasions, dessert bars, or anytime you want something spectacular.

Servings

Makes 24 cupcakes

Time

Ingredients

Cupcake Batter:

• 1¼ cups all‑purpose flour

• 1 cup natural cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 3 Tbsp canola oil

• ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)

• 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

• 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup full‑fat sour cream

• 1 cup freshly boiled hot water

• 24 peanut butter cups (as insert)

Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 1¾ cups unsalted butter, very soft

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 5 cups confectioners’ sugar (add only as needed)

• ¼ tsp salt

• 4 Tbsp milk

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

Optional Milk Chocolate Ganache:

• ½ cup milk or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

• 1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

• ⅓ cup heavy cream

• ⅛ tsp salt

Garnish (Optional):

• 24 peanut butter cups

• ¼ cup chopped peanuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 12‑cup muffin tins with liners and lightly spray.

2. In a bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Melt butter and chopped chocolate together; set aside to cool slightly.

4. In a large bowl, beat sugars, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Add melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine.

5. Gently fold in flour mixture in three parts, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour. Don’t overmix.

6. Pour in hot water (or coffee) and stir until just combined. Batter will be thin.

7. Fill each cupcake liner about ⅓ full, push a peanut butter cup in the center, then top with more batter to fill about ⅔.

8. Bake 16–18 minutes or until toothbrush tester comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Let cool completely.

9. For frosting: beat butter until smooth, add vanilla. On low speed, gradually add confectioners’ sugar. Add milk, salt, and peanut butter; beat on medium-high until light and fluffy.

10. For ganache: heat cream until near boiling, pour over chopped chocolate + peanut butter; sit 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Let cool slightly before using.

11. Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes. Drizzle (or spoon) ganache over frosting if using. Garnish with peanuts or mini cups.

12. Serve. Store at room temperature or in fridge (depending on climate).

Tips

• Use high-quality chocolate and peanut butter for flavor.

• Don’t overfill cupcake liners—allow room for rise.

• Cool cupcakes before frosting to prevent melting.

• Adjust frosting sweetness by tasting as you go.

• For thicker ganache, use less cream; for thinner, more cream.