Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

By Samantha Seneviratne

Published October 20, 2025

  • Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
1 hour 40 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes, plus cooling
Rating
5(142)
Comments
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These little cuties are light and fluffy, with just the right amount of chocolate flavor to complement but not overpower the salty-sweet peanut butter frosting. Made with oil instead of butter, the batter can be made by hand in minutes, and the resulting cupcakes stay nice and moist. They’re sure to be hit at the next bake sale or picnic. 

Featured in: I’ve Baked Hundreds of Cakes. These 3 Tips Made All the Difference.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 cupcakes

FOR THE CUPCAKES

  • ¾ cup/96 grams all-purpose flour

  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons/75 grams granulated sugar

  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons/83 grams packed dark brown sugar

  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons/36 grams natural cocoa powder

  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • ⅓ cup/80 milliliters vegetable oil

  • ⅓ cup/80 milliliters buttermilk

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

FOR THE FROSTING

  • 1 cup/270 grams creamy conventional peanut butter (not “natural”)

  • ½ cup/113 grams salted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 cup/123 grams powdered sugar 

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • Chocolate pearls, mini chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles, for topping (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

46 grams carbs; 36 milligrams cholesterol; 434 calories; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 27 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 223 milligrams sodium; 8 grams protein; 35 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the cupcakes: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with paper liners.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, egg and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Divide the batter evenly among the liners.

  3. Step 3

    Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of one cupcake comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 18 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes then transfer the cupcakes to the rack to cool completely.

  4. Step 4

    Make the frosting: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat the peanut butter and salted butter together until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. (The cupcakes and frosting can be made and stored separately, covered at room temperature, for up to 1 day.)

  5. Step 5

    Top the cooled cupcakes with the frosting. Sprinkle with chocolate pearls, if desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
142 user ratings
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Comments

SL

Natural PB would separate and you'd be left with a greasy, grainy frosting. both Jif and Skippy have 'natural' PB that aren't blended with trans fat but still homogenized. They usually have natural on the label, but read the ingredient list to be sure. and really, people, if you're going to make cupcakes with almost 30g of fat per serving, balking at peanut butter with added sugar and oil is just silly.@Susan

William Wroblicka

If you Google "peanut butter frosting using natural peanut butter," you'll find many recipes, which presumably have been successfully tested. On the other hand, you'll also find many admonitions *not* to use natural peanut butter because you'll wind up with a "curdling oily mess," to quote one such.

SeattleCook

People these are excellent! Get over yourself about the processed peanut butter ingredient, or the cake being dry or crumbly, (it is not! ) cake is delicate, not a problem. Love the fact that there is extra frosting, so no anxiety over not having enough to frost them. I plan to use the extra frosting to do a homemade Nutter Butter facsimile. 5 stars!!!!

Jeannine

The frosting is great. I made it with a combination of creamy and chunky peanut butter because that’s what I had. Even after generously frosting 12 cupcakes I had frosting left, which was enjoyed on a spoon by those lucky enough to be around while I was cleaning up.

Nancy

When I doubled the recipe to make 24, I barely had enough batter to make 18! I guess I should have made a single recipe first to see how many cupcakes it made. Disappointed.

Lauren J.

I used the frosting on tiny cakes for my dogs and had some and HOLY COW it was really good. The dogs liked it very much as well.

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