Peanut butter filled cupcakes are a wonderfully moist treat to bake up for any occasion, or just because you are craving some peanut butter! The soft chocolate cake base and rich peanut butter buttercream frosting are sure to please all the chocolate and peanut butter lovers in your life! With the delightful surprise of creamy peanut butter in every bite, these cupcakes always come highly requested!
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Instructions
Prepare the Cupcakes
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) then lightly grease the divots or cavities of your muffin tin or line them with cupcake liners.
Combine your dry ingredients until well combined (I used a whisk to mix, or you can sift the cocoa powder after you measure). Include the optional espresso powder or swap your unsweetened cocoa powder for Dutch process cocoa to achieve the best possible chocolate flavor.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the liquid ingredients into it: beaten eggs, milk, coconut or vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
After mixing your batter, add 1 cup of boiling water.
In your preheated oven, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. *The toothpick, knife, or cake tester may still have crumbs on it but should not be wet or gummy.
Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for a few minutes before popping them out of the pan and cooling them completely on a wire rack.
Make the Peanut Butter Buttercream
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter for 2 full minutes until you get a smooth consistency. Then, add the creamy peanut butter and beat for an additional minute or two.
Add in the vanilla extract and pinch of salt and beat until smooth again.
Add the confectioners' sugar in 1-cup portions gradually while mixing at medium speed.
Drizzle milk into the frosting as needed to get a smooth consistency. Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl while you mix in order to include all of the powdered sugar.
Increase the speed of the mixer to high and allow it to whip the frosting for 1-2 minutes, or until it reaches a creamy and smooth texture.
Assemble the Peanut Butter Filled Cupcakes
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, use a large piping tip, an apple corer, or a knife to make a hole in the center of each chocolate cupcake.
Transfer your peanut butter frosting into a piping bag or a plastic storage bag, then snip the tip for piping into the cupcakes. Fill each cupcake and frost the tops.
Notes
Make sure to allow your cupcakes to completely cool before frosting. This will take at least 2 hours. I prefer to refrigerate the cupcakes once they have cooled before adding the crumb coat.
You can also use a spoon to core your cupcakes, or simply fill the cupcakes with a narrow piping tip (without coring them).
If using a knife or spoon to core your cupcakes, don't try to be a perfectionist! The small cored hole will end up getting larger and then the cupcakes will crumble.
To store: Place your peanut butter cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours, or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze: Before frosting, tightly wrap your cupcakes in plastic wrap, and freeze them for no more than three months. Allow the cupcakes to thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting and serving.