Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Bake delicious Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting! Features a moist chocolate cupcake and rich, creamy peanut butter buttercream
Ingredients
Here’s the complete list of ingredients, with precise measurements (including weights where provided):
For the Cupcakes:
- 3.75 oz all-purpose flour, by weight (equals approx. 3/4 cup, spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (approx. 35-40g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (approx. 200g)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup whole buttermilk*, room temperature
- 1/4 cup oil** (vegetable or canola recommended)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup hot coffee*** (or hot water)
For the Peanut Butter Buttercream:
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 5 oz confectioner’s sugar, by weight (equals approx. 1 cup lightly packed, sifted – Note: This seems low for 1 cup butter, standard might be 3-4 cups powdered sugar. Proceeding as written, but frosting might be very rich/buttery/less sweet.)
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- (Implied: Pinch of salt, optional)
- (Implied: 1-2 tbsp Milk/Cream, optional, for consistency)
Optional Garnishes:
- Chocolate syrup for drizzling
- Chopped peanuts
*(Note: Footnotes *, *, *** were present in the original ingredients but their definitions were not provided. They likely refer to buttermilk substitutions, recommended oil types, or coffee type/strength.)
Ensure butter/egg/buttermilk are room temperature.
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Cupcakes:
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined and free of lumps. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients while stirring with a whisk or spatula. Stir just until combined – don’t worry if a few small streaks of flour remain at this stage.
- Add Hot Coffee: Carefully stir the hot coffee (or hot water) into the batter. Mix until just smooth. The batter will become quite thin.
- Fill Liners: Evenly divide the thin batter among the 12 prepared muffin cups, making sure they are no more than 3/4 full (about half to two-thirds full is often safer with thin batters).
- Bake: Bake for approximately 22 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool Completely: Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cupcakes must be fully cool before frosting.
Make the Peanut Butter Buttercream:
- Beat Butter & Peanut Butter: In a large bowl using an electric mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment), beat the room temperature butter and creamy peanut butter together on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy.
- Add Sugar: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioner’s sugar (sifted, if desired). Mix until incorporated.
- Add Vanilla & Whip: Add the vanilla extract (and optional pinch of salt). Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for about 3 minutes, until the buttercream is smooth, light, and fluffy.
- Adjust Consistency (Optional): If the frosting seems too stiff, beat in milk or cream, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired piping or spreading consistency.
Frost and Garnish:
- Frost: Once cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread the peanut butter buttercream generously onto each cupcake.
- Garnish (Optional): Drizzle with chocolate syrup and/or sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired. Enjoy!
A perfect pairing ready to delight