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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 18
Author: Amy Stafford

Ingredients


Chocolate Peanut-Butter Cupcakes:

  • 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup boiling hot water
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or DAVE’s vanilla-coffee syrup
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup about 5 ounces Mini-Reeses peanut butter cups


Butter Frosting:

  • 2 cups confectioners sugar icing or powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or DAVE’s vanilla-coffee syrup
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk or light cream
  • Red sprinkles optional

Instructions

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
  • In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.
  • In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Then in the bowl of your electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and buttermilk and stir until smooth.
  • Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and place 2-3 peanut butter cups in each cup (DO NOT PUSH THEM IN LET THEM SINK ON THERE OWN). Bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.)
  • Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Butter Frosting:

  • In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract.
  • With the mixer on low-speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high-speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
  • Pipe on each cupcake top with sugar sprinkles and a heart pretzel.