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dark chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting on platter

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

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  • Author: Heather | Browned Butter Blondie
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 25 + cooling time
  • Total Time: 90 min
  • Yield: 12 1x

Description

Calling all peanut butter lovers! These dark chocolate cupcakes with creamy peanut butter frosting are the cupcake equivalent of a giant peanut butter cup. Chocolate and peanut butter is the ultimate flavor combo and everyone will swoon over these rich and fudgy dark chocolate cupcakes topped with a giant swirl of light and fluffy peanut butter frosting. Made from scratch with simple ingredients from your pantry, these cupcakes are easy to make and positively irresistible!


Ingredients

Units Scale

For Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled (125 g)

1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa, sifted (30 g)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup neutral oil (I use canola oil)

1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (50 g)

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature

4 tablespoons chopped peanuts (optional)

For Frosting

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups creamy peanut butter (like Skippy or Jif)

2 1/4 cups (290 g) confectioners sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

45 tablespoons heavy cream


Instructions

For Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together oil and sugars in a medium mixing bowl.

Whisk in one egg at a time. Add in vanilla extract.

Alternate mixing in half of the dry ingredients and half of the buttermilk to the wet ingredients until everything is added. Mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

Fill each liner two-thirds full. Do not over fill the liners.

Bake for 20-22 minutes. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs remaining. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Cool completely before frosting.

For Frosting

Add the room temperature butter to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whip for 20-30 seconds on medium.

Add the peanut butter and mix on medium high for 1 minute.

Add the confectioners sugar and vanilla, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium high for one minute.

Add the heavy cream and beat on medium high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add more heavy cream. If too thin, add more confectioners sugar.

Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Swirl the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes. Alternatively, you can use a knife or offset spatula to spread the frosting on top.

Top with chopped peanuts if desired.


Notes

Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Cupcakes may be frozen. Defrost at room temperature before frosting.