Sometimes, a girl needs a hefty dose of chocolate and peanut butter.
At least, that was how I was feeling yesterday afternoon while eating one of these beauties. I’m not normally one to make cupcakes, let alone consume them. But when Peanut Butter and Co. sent me a variety of their peanut butter to try out, my brain poured out hundreds (thousands!) of recipes ideas, and these cupcakes were one of them.
I didn’t have peanut butter cupcakes in mind, because I had no clue how that would go down. But I already had a fool-proof recipe for chocolate cupcakes (courtesy of my good friend Allie from Baking a Moment) and I knew whipping up some peanut butter frosting would be easy peasy.
These chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting are a little bit healthier than your regular cupcake. And anyways, it’s meant to be more of a treat than an everyday snack. We only eat things like cake, cookies, or cupcakes on special occasions like birthdays or large family get-togethers.
The peanut butter frosting takes these delicious cupcakes to an entirely different level. And everyone knows that peanut butter and chocolate are the perfect combo. Peanut butter chocolate energy bites anyone?
I know you’re going to love these super delicious chocolate cupcakes. It’s a super indulgent treat that you don’t have to feel bad about eating.
A few recipe notes:
I rarely buy cake flour, so for this recipe I used a technique I found from Joy the Baker’s website on how you can make your own cake flour. For this particular recipe, I used 3/4 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour. I put the only the flour to be made into cake flour into the bowl. I then took out 1 tablespoons of it (which I returned back to my flour container) and replace it with 1 tablespoons of arrowroot flour (you can use organic corn starch, too). Then I sifted it four times and continued with the recipe.
The recipe DOES call for powdered sugar. I simply make my own by blending unbleached pure cane sugar with arrowroot flour. For the method, my go-to recipe is on Whole New Mom. It takes only 1 minute to make your own powdered sugar!
Here’s the recipe:
- ¾ cups organic unbleached pure cane sugar
- ½ cup unbleached all purpose flour
- ¼ cup cake flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup Greek yogurt, preferably homemade or organic
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons organic milk or heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons Peanut Butter & Co. The Bee's Knee's Peanut Butter
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
- Combine all dry ingredients (in the cupcake ingredients list) in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add in the butter and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl to incorporate everything.
- Fill 16 line muffin cups halfway (about ¼ cup batter). A small ice cream scoop works great for this.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
- Beat butter for 2 minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed.
- Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn't blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.
- Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. Add peanut butter and mix for 1 minute to ensure that it's incorporated thoroughly. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.
Pin it:
….PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING?! YES PLEASE! I’m so hungry now…these look so yummy!
Thanks for linking this post up to the SHINE blog hop!
Haha, thanks Rebecca! This peanut butter frosting really makes these cupcakes shine.
Thank you for linking these up at the Thank Goodness It’s Thursday party this week, Margaret Anne. I’ll be using them in the TGIT promotion all week to help get you a little bit more press.
Thanks so much Sarah! I really appreciate it.
They look super yummy!
Oh, my weakness, chocolate & peanut butter!! That icing looks so incredibly lickable! Pinning! Stopping by via the That’s Fresh Friday Link-Up!
Hi there! Wanted to let you know that I chose your post to be featured as one of my favorites on this week’s Wednesday Whatsits post. It will be published Tuesday at 8pm PST. Be sure to stop by and keep submitting! Thanks!!! Krissy
Hello, I hopped over from Share it One More Time. These look so good and I love the healthier alternative! Blessings, Cecilia
I love chocolate and I love peanut butter so a healthier version of them in a cupcake is wonderful. Thank you for sharing at Share It One More Time. Cathy
This looks so amazing! Yum! Pinned. Thank you for being a part of our party. I hope to see you tonight at 7 pm. We love partying with you! http://loulougirls.blogspot.com/
Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls
Thank You for stopping by Inspire Us Tuesdays and leaving some inspiration behind. We would love for you to visit each week and leave some inspiration, find some inspiration, and borrow some of these ideas for yourself for the future. I pinned this!
Like a huge Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. Pinning it!
Thanks so much for linking up at Teach Me Tuesday last week! You are very much appreciated! Hope to see you again this week. Starts tonight at 8pm CST.
Have a great week!!
These look so yummy. I have got to try this recipe. Thanks!
Congrats!!! Your decadent “HEALTHIER CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES ” are being featured this week at WONDERFULLY CREATIVE WEDNESDAYS!! Please also stop my MUNCHING MONDAYS over at Nibbles By Nic
These look amazing – thank you! Pinning & making soon!
Aghhh this looks so good! I may have to make some for my Halloween party cupcakes… YUM!!! Thanks for linking up with us at #Foodie Fridays! You have been pinned!
LOVE the idea of ‘healthier’ and the awesome combo of PB & Choc! A beautiful treat. Thanks so much for sharing at Weekend Potluck. We’d love if it you’d link back to the party within your post (making you eligible to be featured…and not a party page. Thanks=)