These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting just can’t be beat!
The rich, silky, sweetness of chocolate combined with the smooth, creamy, subtly sweet & nutty peanut butter: well, it’s simply, a match made in heaven. Try to tell me any other combination that is more delicious and I’ll call you crazy (unless, that is, you say chocolate + caramel – then you’ll have a good argument.)
I’ve been thinking about this delicious combo for days now, but today was the day to make things happen.
There really are no words to describe just how decadently delicious these cupcakes are. The richness of the chocolate cake makes for a perfect balance with the sweetness of the peanut butter frosting. Oh yeah, and the surprise filling isn’t too shabby either. ;)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 box Devil’s Food cake mix
- 1-1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup applesauce or oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 small bag Reese’s peanut butter cups unwrapped
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips optional
For the Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1/3 cup smooth natural peanut butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk plus more to achieve desired consistency
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix cake mix, water, applesauce (or oil), and eggs according to directions on box (2 minutes on medium speed with electric mixer).
- If desired, add chocolate chips to the cake batter.
- Fill muffin pan with liners, and fill liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake according to directions on package, about 18-20 minutes.
- Allow cupcakes to cool for about 10 minutes, then gently press one peanut butter cup into each cupcake.
For the frosting:
- Blend peanut butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar until combined. Add milk and mix on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Continue to add milk until you get the desired consistency.
- After frosting the cupcakes, top each cupcake with some extra peanut butter cups chunks & a dusting of cocoa powder, if desired.
It’s important to put the PB cups in while the cupcakes are still somewhat warm; that way, they’ll get slightly soft and melted. You’re going to want to dig right in once you see things getting all melted and delicious, but I promise, it’s worth the wait for the frosting.
Rather than making 24 regular-sized cupcakes, I made 14 regular sized + 6 jumbo cupcakes.
Surprise PB Cup filling! :)
I’m telling you: If you’re as much in love with peanut butter + chocolate as I am, then you need to try these cupcakes. Your friends will thank you.
ENJOY!! :-D
Amy says
Oh my gosh, I’m flying all the way to NY just to get 1 of these. Peanut butter and chocolate are my favs!!!
Jen says
Look amazing!! I make something very similar – look for me on Facebook – add me and I have a whole baking album! :) oh it’s Jen Rosenthal
Duchess of Fork says
Oh man, peanut butter and chocolate are my weakness! These look great. :)
jennyinnewyork says
oh goodness. this is going to cause me to make VERY bad decisions :) hahaa
erica says
omigoodness. i MUST make these!!!!
ellaroo88 says
my mouth is hanging open! These look amazing
Kathryn says
I’m crying right now that I don’t have a stand mixer OR a hand mixer right now….you’ve got me in my “domestic” phase, where all I want to do is bake all day
Shanna, like Banana says
Oh. My. God. Those look sooooooo good. Get in muh belly!
Laura J. says
Oh my word I’m dying right now! Those look AMAZING!
Holly at Greek Yogurt and Apple Slices says
WHOA- those look SO good. HOLY MOLY!!! When is your bakery opening again?!?! :D
Can You Stay for Dinner says
Marry me, Courtney. These are gorgeous AND making my mouth water! You’re so talented!
Courtney says
Hahaha, thank you, Andrea! You’ve got some delicious lookin’ goodies over there yourself girl! We should swap. :)
Jen is Green says
umm I think I’m going to eat my computer screen now..
Courtney says
LOL! :-D
Melissa says
My thoughts exactly! LOL
kbwood says
WOW girl these sound amazing!!! I think i need a reeses asap
Alison says
I need one of these asap! Definitely will be giving them a try, as I truly believe peanut butter and chocolate were destined for each other.
Kerry says
These look gorgeous! I looove the cake cases!
Andy says
I don’t like this blog! Do ya want to know why? . . .
I’m staring down photos of chocolate/peanut butter cupcakes and thinking to myself, “two years ago, I might have had a chance to try one of these babies. . . Now all I get to do is look at them”.
:(
Great job! I think you’ve found your calling.
Andy
P.S. We miss you.
Courtney says
Haha, thanks Andy! I miss you guys too…I’ll have to see what I can do about getting a batch over to you guys soon. :)
themohdiaries says
Ummm, how on earth do your cupcakes come out as pretty as they do. Mine are always a hot mess! lol. You should definitely open up a bakery. People would come far and wide (ahem Boston…just sayinn) for your treats :)
Andrea @ Sweet N Green says
Chocolate and PB are my weaknesses..especially when put together!! These look amazing and I’m sure they taste even better..yum!
Kelly says
So creative! I make these sugar cookies that Keith loves. I put a thin mint in between 2 slices of raw sugar cookie dough. Seal the edges and then bake in the oven. So good!!!
Courtney says
Ooooo YUMM! :)
Katie says
These look to die for!! I need these!!! Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!
Joelle says
These look DELICIOUS!!! :-)
CK says
Ok – so the Strawberry Filled Lemon Cupcakes were a huge hit at the office bday (many props to you!). Thanks again for your encouragement.
I have been elected to bring in cupcakes again next month for my boss’s bday. I’m thinking of trying out these chocolate peanut butter delights.
Courtney says
WOOO HOOO!!
I got the most positive feedback and rave reviews from the PB cup ones, so I think your co-workers will be quite pleased! :)
Danielle says
I made these for my neighborhood block party and they were a HUGE hit! Thanks for sharing :)
Courtney says
AWESOME! I’m so glad were a hit. :)
Melissa says
I have been demanded by management at work to make some cupcakes for tomorrow. I am the team baker, so I am making these! Thanks for the recipe!!!
Courtney says
Hahaha, no prob! Good Luck!
Melissa says
THEY TURNED OUT FANTASTIC!!!!! My tummy hurts from eating all the peanut butter cups. LOL Now, I want to master the key lime cup cakes I had from Betty’s Cupcakery…any idea on what the heck is in the icing??? That will be my weekend project.
Courtney says
Hahaha!
Hmmm, I didn’t try them, but probably something simple to start, like a little lime zest/juice. Then dye it green to give it a little more “lime” feel. :)
Krysten says
I made these cupcakes last weekend for a cookout and they were a huge hit! One question for you though, how do you make your frosting look so gorgeous!? Every recipe I see you make has beautiful frosting- I can’t manage to get mine to look like that! Maybe you could do a frosting tutorial?! Or just give us some tips :) Anyway, great recipes, love the blog!
Courtney says
Awesome!! :)
Lately, I’ve been using a pastry bag that I bought (you can find them cheap at craft stores, even Wal-Mart) which I showed here: http://sweettoothsweetlife.com/2010/07/31/let-the-celebrations-continue-with-cupcakes/
But before that, I would simply fill a ziploc sandwich baggie, snip the tip off of a corner, and just swirl it that way. Quick and easy! :)
Beverly says
OH my, oh my, oh my!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, I can tell already I’m so going to have to limit my reading of your blog! LOL I’ve gained 10 lbs just reading all these amazing recipes and sweets are my biggest downfall!!!! If I could just figure out how to eat these in normal quantities instead of making myself sick I’d be fine!
These are a keeper.. but again… I’m so gonna have to pick the right time to do this! Girl, your “work out” section must be something like “Run 30 miles, 6,000 sit ups & 500 push ups” as a “warm up”!? Or are you just blessed with the ability to eat these sweets without the ease off adding inches to your waist size? *sigh*
Courtney says
Hahaha, I’m so glad you’re excited to try them!
No, I don’t have any crazy workout sessions…I just enjoy a few then give them away to other people so I’m not tempted to eat the whole batch (which I EASILY could!) :shock:
Rachel says
I saw your recipe on http://www.tastespotting.com and I just had to make these delicious looking cupcakes. All of my friends loved them and wanted the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing! :)
Courtney says
My recipe was on TasteSpotting? Really?
Leslie says
I just made these for some friends! They loved them and so did my fiance! I love your blog, thanks for sharing the delicious recipes! :)
Courtney says
Thank you, Leslie! So glad you and your friends liked them!