Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes

Posted in Blog, Dessert
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Step up your peanut butter cupcake game with these amazing cupcakes filled with Reese’s peanut butter cups!

Chocolate and peanut butter together make the best combo, in my opinion. I have made this peanut butter icing many times and it is always a hit. I tried something different with these cupcakes though and it made them even better!

chocolate cake box mix, peanut butter, powdered sugar, Reese cups

There are many recipes out there on how to make chocolate cupcakes from scratch, and I have done it a few times, but I still say nothing can beat the out-of-the-box mix. They always turn out moist and it is so much easier to make. Start by mixing it and fill the cupcake liner halfway, you could fill it more but I learned my lesson the hard way. Bake them for 8 minutes. While those 8 minutes are counting down, start unwrapping some Reese’s cups. Line up and have them ready to go as best you can when the timer goes off. After 8 minutes, take the cupcakes out and place the Reeses right on top of the cupcakes and press down slightly. Place back into the oven and bake for the additional time – the sweet spot with my oven was another 12 minutes.

chocolate cupcakes in a muffin pan

While the cupcakes are cooling, go ahead and get the stick of butter out to start softening for the icing.

When the cupcakes are cool, start whipping up the icing. Mix the butter, and peanut butter until smooth. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix slowly. Add half of the whipping cream, salt, and vanilla. Mix and slowly add the remaining powdered sugar. If the icing is too stiff add a little bit more whipping cream, and if it is too runny, add a bit more powdered sugar.

light brown peanut butter frosting in a mixing bowl

Ice the cupcakes however you please, and add half a Reese’s cup as garnish. Enjoy!

Tips:

I have tried putting the Reese cup in the batter before baking at all, but they fall entirely to the bottom; which is why I think it is best to bake partly before adding them.

chocolate cupcakes with Reese cups inside, covered in peanut butter frosting topped with Reese cup cut in half with Reese cups surrounding the cupcakes

As I said above, there are many great made-from-scratch batter recipes, but I will always do the box mix from now on. It is just so much easier and still tastes great. If that doesn’t seem fancy enough, here are some things you can change to doctor it up.

You can add fuller than halfway, but this just causes them to bake over the top once you add the Reese’s cup, which is not as pretty.

You can add a variety of different garnishes other than Reese’s cups; such as peanuts, chocolate shavings, melted chocolate drizzle, etc., or add all!

If you want some easy cleanup, check out these muffin pans that are so much easier than the metal here

Check out some other delicious chocolate and peanut butter dessert recipes here: https://coffeeafterkids.com/muddy-buddies-puppy-chow/ and here: https://coffeeafterkids.com/peanut-butter-marshmallow-brownies/

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Step up your cupcake game with these delicious cupcakes that you will want to make over and over

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1 Box Devils Food Cake Mix
  • 24 Reese Cups

Peanut Butter Frosting

  • 2 Cups Peanut Butter
  • 4 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup Butter softened
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Instructions

Cupcakes

  1. Prepare cake mix as instructed on the box.

    2. Line cupcake/muffin pan and fill halfway full.

    3. Bake for 6-8 minutes. While they are baking unwrap Reese cups and set aside.

    4. Pull cupcakes out, and place Reese Cups on top and lightly press down.

    5. Place cupcakes back into oven for the additional time. Bake until toothpick comes out clean.

    6. Let cool completely. While cupcakes are cooling, set out the butter for the frosting.

Frosting

  1. Add the butter and the peanut butter and mix until smooth.

    2. Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix slowly.

    3. Add half of the whipping cream, all of the salt and the vanilla.

    4. Mix and slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and whipping cream.

    If the icing is too stiff add a little bit more whipping cream, and if it is too runny, add a bit more powdered sugar.

    5. Add frosting into a piping bag, and pipe as much or as little frosting onto the cupcakes as you'd like.

    6. Garnish with half a Reese Cup, chocolate shavings, peanuts, etc.

    7. Enjoy!

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