Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
These dark chocolate cupcakes are loaded with rich chocolate flavor, and topped with a light and creamy peanut butter frosting. If you are a chocolate/peanut butter fan, these are your jam!
I have a secret that I’m about to blab. It’s about me. And it’s a doozie. It’s going to rock your world…
I don’t really like cake…
Shhh…
Can you believe it? It’s the truth. Hard to fathom, with all those cakes that I decorate.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I will eat cake. But it pretty much ranks at the very, very bottom of the dessert hierarchy for me. Given options, I would choose pretty much anything over cake. Now, if you’re talking cheesecakes, flourless chocolate cakes, coffee cakes, crumb cakes, and things of that nature, well then that’s a whole different ballgame. But regular cake? Like birthday cake-cake? Meh. It’s just never really been my cup of tea.
But what I do love is frosting. And phenomenal frosting can absolutely make my day. Peanut butter or cream cheese frosting? It may as well just be Christmas. As a result, I love cupcakes because I can pile them sky-high with dreamy frosting and enjoy each and every bite. These dark chocolate cupcakes are a dream come true for anyone who is a cake or frosting lover – they are truly the best of both worlds.
These cupcakes are insanely rich and moist, and are made using the same type of method used for making brownies – melted chocolate is added to a whisked mixture of eggs and sugar, and then flour is stirred in.
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The resulting batter almost resembled a mousse; both thick and light. It creates incredibly moist cupcakes that also have a light and fluffy texture.
And the frosting. Oh the frosting. Bestill my heart.
I have been using this recipe for a couple of years now (how has it never made it on here before?!), mostly as a filling for chocolate cakes. But on top of cupcakes? Where I purposefully try to create a 2:1 frosting to cupcake ratio? AH-MAZING.
I cannot make this without taking spoonful after spoonful out of the bowl before decorating. It’s seriously irresistible.
Sometimes I’m tempted to make it to just have. Smeared on toast? Used as a dipping vessel for bananas or apples? So many possibilities. The “secret ingredient” in this frosting, just as in the Easy Vanilla Bean Buttercream, is the heavy cream. It creates a smooth and fluffy frosting that is easy to slather or pipe on.
If you are a fellow chocolate/peanut butter-aholic, you will love, love, LOVE these cupcakes. Put them on your baking list NOW!
Can’t Get Enough? More Favorite Chocolate/Peanut Butter Recipes:
- No Bake Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies
- Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars
- Peanut Butter Cup Overload Cake
- Salted Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Buckeye Brownies
- Peanut Butter-Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
One year ago: Sweet and Sour Chicken
Two years ago: Fresh Strawberry Tart
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup (43 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (93.75 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) baking powder
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) table salt
- ½ cup (115 ml) sour cream
For the Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 cup (258 g) creamy peanut butter
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) kosher salt
- ⅓ cup (79.33 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
- Make the Cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. (If you are using a non-stick muffin pan, heat the oven to 325 degrees F.) Line standard-size muffin pan with baking cup liners.
- Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. (Alternately, you can microwave the mixture at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.) Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.
- Divide the batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove the cupcakes and set on wire rack to cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.
- Make the Peanut Butter Frosting: Place the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.
- Assemble the Cupcakes: Frost the cupcakes with an offset spatula, or with a decorating tip (I used a Wilton 1M tip). Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Since first making these cupcakes, this chocolate cupcake recipe has become my favorite. Feel free to use either!
- If you do not have sour cream, you can substitute plain yogurt or buttermilk.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[photos by Whitney Wright]
I baked these last weekend and they are positively the best chocolate cupcakes I have ever tasted! Wow! Thank you!
Wondering if it’s possible to use similar recipe to make white chocolate cupcakes?
Hi Linda, Aren’t these awesome cupcakes?! So glad to hear that you loved them too!
I have never tried adapting this to white chocolate cupcakes, but it sounds fantastic! I would just replace the cocoa powder with more flour, and of course white chocolate for the dark chocolate. If you try it, please come back and let us know how they turned out!
Just found this though one of the FB posts and they look delish! I don’t make cupcakes often although I have been watching Cupcake Wars and it’s gotten me in the mood! Is it safe to assume that because there is cream in the frosting that these need to be refrigerated? Can’t wait to try them!
These look great!! I’m the exact same way about frosting, too! When I have a cup cake I don’t even touch the cake until I’ve piled it up and licked off the frosting multiple times ^.^
I made these yesterday – I only made a half batch and wish I’d made more now!
Ready to eat at around 4pm, all gone by half 9 *blush*
I converted the measurements to UK weights & measures and am going to blog the recipe later if anyone over this side of the pond wants them :) Will link back to here too!
Thanks!
Made these the other day and they were absolutely divine. I’ve linked back to your site from my blog. Thanks!! :)
http://themorethanoccasionalbaker.blogspot.com/2010/06/dark-chocolate-cupcake-with-peanut.html
I just absolutely love this post! The confessional tone just grabs me, draws me in, and makes me want to eat spoonfulls of this amazing looking frosting while I spill all of my own secrets! How about I start with this one: I’m not a birthday cake person either. But give me a flourless chocolate cake and I’ll disappear and eat the whole thing by myself.
you earn extra points for admitting you don’t like cake all that much – i don’t either. the frosting is usually subpar and the cake is just dense and not very flavorful. for some reason, the same recipe can taste better as a cakecup, but i still prefer cheesecakes, gelato, cookies, etc. way before i’ll look at a piece of cake and consider eating it. thanks for sharing another great cupcake recipe! :)
I shouldn’t look at these. I shouldn’t have even opened the email, because I saw the blog post title on the subject line. but I did. and now I won’t be able to get these out of my head. Yum.
Hi Michelle,
These cupcakes looks fantastic! I admit, I really don’t like ordinary birthday cakes either. But I love anything with both chocolate and peanut butter in it :) I usually make a peanut butter frosting with cream cheese, but the heavy cream version sounds divine!
You have a fantastic blog. I love baking myself, so I was very fortunate to have discovered your blog. I really like your take on the lasagna tart, and I am planning to try out my own version this weekend with a bechamel sauce. Ive recently started my own blog, and I would love to get your feedback; so please feel free to drop by and leave any comments you may have :)
They looks amazing Michelle.
I made these for company this weekend. I did not tell them it was peanut butter frosting and the first bite was a look of suprise, and then OMG these are great!
Chocolate and peanut butter are the greatest flavor combination ever! I love cake but am picky about what kind of cake, so its not unconditional love! It has to be moist and it also has to not be to sweet or it won’t pair well with sugary frosting! These cupcakes are just divine…
I think I just found what “Ill be making for Father’s Day… thank you :)
I’ve been planning to make this combo……but I’ve been looking for a great PB frosting….can’t wait to try this!! Thanks! ♥
I am totally a frosting girl. I will get a dozen frosting shots at my favorite cupcake shop and go to my car and eat six of them. I love frosting.
Congrats on making the top 9 with those gorgeous cupcakes!!
This is beautiful. Very deserving of the Top 9. Congratulations. GREG
I’m right beside you with your love of frosting. If I have the choice, I will snag an outside piece of birthday cake to get a little extra frosting (though I try not to elbow any kids out of the way to do so). This peanut butter frosting looks good enough to stick a spoon into and eat it by itself.
Funny, I made a recent confession that I’m not a huge fan of cookies (but I love cakes) and here I’ve been obsessed about making them.
Your cupcakes look gorgeous, delicious!
Peanut butter frosting?! You have got to be kidding me! These sound and look absolutely delicious!
Hi! Love these– gorgeous, and I bet they taste great, too!
I am learning to love dark chocolate, and one of the best ways to make that transition has been to bake with dark chocolate, where the flavor is amazing but not overwhelming… also, peanut butter makes everything perfect…
— Lauren, Lauren’s Little Kitchen
I love everything about these cupcakes. Chocolate and PB is my weak point. I want one of these no
I actually like cupcakes, but not cake. The only explanation I can offer is the serious amounts of frosting on cupcakes! These look great!
Love peanut butter frosting with chocolate!
The perfect combination EVER!! Love it!
I am totally with you – I’d pick frosting over cake any day. ;-)
I’ve never made PB frosting but now I’m dying to. And your swirls are so perfect – you should do some kind of a tutorial post, because I am awful! Have a great weekend! xxSAS
It doesn’t surprise me that you don’t like cake. I find that cakes have less chocolate flavor compared to cookies or brownies for example. I always have brownies on my birthday because of that fact. But cakes can serve a lot of people and provide a big space to decorate though a double batch of brownies offers the same surface!
I shall have to try this, my husband is a pb/chocolate fanatic! Question though, on the icing recipe, wouldn’t it have to be refrigerated with the heavy cream in it? Was looking for a recipe I could put on cupcakes that would be able to sit out all day for co-workers to grab but kinda concerned about the cream on them spoiling. Just wondering!
You’re so funny. Well…THESE look AMAZING. I can just imagine that frosting….