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Chocolate peanut butter swirled cake and chocolate peanut butter swirled frosting makes these the ULTIMATE Reese’s Cupcakes!
Plus there’s chopped peanut butter cups in the cake batter! We know you’ll fall in love with this reese’s cupcake with reese’s frosting.
But it doesn’t stop there, garnish the cupcakes with the works!
How to garnish swirled chocolate peanut butter cupcakes
- add chopped reese’s cups
- drizzle with chocolate sauce
- drizzle with peanut butter sauce
- add reese’s pieces
- add a whole reese’s cup
Reese’s peanut butter cups IN the cupcakes
I opted to add chopped peanut butter cups to the peanut butter batter, adding a little more oomph to the cupcakes. Another way to do it would be to add a single whole mini reese’s cup to each cupcake before baking. Just be sure to push it down a little into the batter, but not all the way to the bottom.
How to make peanut butter frosting / chocolate frosting?
If you have specific questions on how to make peanut butter frosting or chocolate frosting refer to the specific posts.
How to swirl frosting
In a plastic piping bag (or ziplock bag) alternate scoops of peanut butter frosting and chocolate frosting. Push the frosting down into the bag. Twist the top of the bag closed, and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. The result is a swirled peanut butter chocolate frosting!
How to properly measure flour
Use a spoon to spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Then use a butter knife to level off the excess flour. Do not stick the measuring cup into the bag of flour and do not pack the flour into the cup – both will result in an increase in flour, making your baked goods dry.
Can you make reese’s cupcakes gluten free?
Yes! We have made these cupcakes gluten free with awesome results by using King Arthur’s Gluten Free measure for measure flour. Substitute that flour as a one for one replacement.
How to store unfrosted cupcakes / how to store frosted cupcakes
If you’ll be frosting the cupcakes within 48 hours of baking them, store the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container on the counter.
Once the cupcakes are frosted, store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
How to freeze cupcakes
You can freeze frosted or unfrosted cupcakes. This method applies to both.
Freeze them on a baking sheet, once frozen, wrap each in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe container. To thaw, remove the plastic wrap and return to the container, then place them in the fridge overnight.
How to convert cupcakes to cake
If you want to make this recipe into a reese’s cake, double the cake portion of the recipe and bake in a 9×13 inch pan. Check on the cake at 30 minutes, and adjust baking time as needed.
For the frosting, 1.5 x’s each recipe.
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Reese’s Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ stick butter, room temperature (1/4 cup)
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tbsp melted chocolate, cooled
PEANUT BUTTER Cake
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 2 tbsp milk
- 5 reese’s peanut butter cups, chopped
CHOCOLATE FROSTING
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 cup
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- dash of milk or heavy cream if frosting becomes too thick
PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 cup
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- dash of milk or heavy cream if frosting becomes too thick
Cupcake Garnish (optional)
- Whole or chopped reese’s cups, chocolate or peanut butter sauce, reese’s pieces, etc.
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- ** I like to mix the chocolate batter and the peanut butter batter at the same time (in different bowls) to make it quicker. **
- In 2 small mixing bowls (remember which is chocolate and which is peanut butter) measure the appropriate amount of flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into each. Add cocoa powder to the chocolate bowl. Gently mix each bowl with a spoon. Set aside.
- In 2 larger mixing bowls (remember which is chocolate and which is peanut butter) add the room temperate butter and sugar to the chocolate bowl and add creamy peanut butter, vegetable oil and sugar to the PB bowl. Mix each with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. I quickly rinse the beaters in-between.
- Next add the egg, vanilla, sour cream and melted chocolate to the chocolate bowl, beat with the mixer until combined. Rinse the beaters and add the egg, vanilla, sour cream, and milk to the PB bowl. Beat with the mixer until combined.
- Gradually spoon the chocolate flour mixture into the chocolate bowl and use a spatula to mix by hand just until no flour clumps remain.
- Repeat with the peanut butter flour mixture for the peanut butter bowl, but be sure to add in the chopped peanut butter cups too, mixing by hand with a spatula, just until no flour clumps remain.
- Use a cookie dough scoop to add one scoop of each batter to each muffin cup. The batter will be THICK. The cups should be fairly full. Swirl the batter together with a butter knife if desired.
- Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool for 7 minutes in the pan, then remove them from the pan and allow them to cool completely.
For the chocolate frosting
- Place room temperature unsalted butter in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium and beat the butter for 1 minute, until whipped and fluffy.
- Add in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat again on low for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until everything is incorporated.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of milk or heavy cream, and beat until creamy.
For the peanut butter frosting
- Place room temperature unsalted butter and creamy peanut butter in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium and beat the butter for 1 minute, until whipped and fluffy.
- Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat again on low for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until everything is incorporated.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of milk or heavy cream, and beat until creamy.
Swirling the frosting
- In a plastic piping bag (or ziplock bag) fit with a piping tip (I used a wilton 1M) alternate scoops of peanut butter frosting and chocolate frosting. Push the frosting down into the bag. Twist the top of the bag closed, and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes in a circular motion.
Garnish the cupcakes
- After adding the frosting to the cupcakes, here are some ideas on how to garnish them..
- • add chopped reese’s cups
• drizzle with chocolate sauce
• drizzle with peanut butter sauce
• add reese’s pieces
• add a whole reese’s cup
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Could this same recipe translate into enough batter for a two layer cake?
I need to tell you, just the sight of these makes me wonder how many I could fit in my mouth at one time. They are DOING things to my MIND!
Hahaha!!
What kind of chocolate do you use for the melted chocolate?
Hi Renee! I use semi-sweet chocolate chips :)
These look decadent and delicious! I will definitely have to make these soon.
Hi!! The cupcakes were delicious but the cake part was a bit dry for my liking… would you recommend just baking less time (I did the minimum 15 min) or add extra sour cream?? Or?? Thanks so much for your help and wonderful recipe
Hi Retta! Did you over bake the cupcakes? Every oven is different so maybe yours were done before 15 minutes. Perhaps check them at 10-12 minutes first to see if they are done!
I have made these and yes, tasted them. It is truly a peanut butter cup heaven. Much better than the candy! It is rich with peanut butter and chocolate flavors. Very decadent! For anyone who loves the flavor of a Reese’s PB cup, you’ve gotta try these! I made them as favors at one of my daughter’s bat mitzvah tables. She had a candy/sweets theme depending on the sweets she likes, so every table had different candy. This is to die for! Thank you so much Beth for sharing this delicious and wonderful recipe! :)
I’m so glad it was a hit!!!
I just wanted to pop on here and leave my experience with this recipe. The frostings are to die for good! The cake is a little bit dry for my taste. I doubled the recipes as I wanted 24 cupcakes. I would have liked a little bit more peanut butter flavor in the cake, but the pb frosting for sure makes up for the lack of flavor in the cake. The chocolate frosting ended up being dryer than the pb frosting once I added the cocoa, so I added a little milk to get them both to the same consistency. These are going to become my go-to frostings from now on!
These look amazing! Wanted to use for a graduation party this weekend so I made these last night. The flavor is great, but the batters did not blend as yours did. My chocolate batter was VERY thick and the peanut butter batter was thick, but pourable. The 2 did not blend together at all. I put the chocolate in first –it stayed in a clump and the peanut butter just filled in around it. Any thoughts or suggestions on what I can do to get the consistencies more similar ( I think my chocolate batter needs to be thinner). Not sure what I did wrong. Thanks!
I am wondering if I did something wrong while they tasted amazing ! They were dry and the cupcake batter was very sticky ! Almost like paste not a cupcake batter! I followed it exactly but wonderin what I did wrong? I had to actually spoon I it and also use my hands ! Delicious tho
Hi Patricia! Yes, this cupcake batter is thick, meaning it’s not runny – most likely you’ll have to use a spoon and a spatula to drop it in the muffin pan. Did you measure the flour properly? Could you have overbaked the cupcakes?
I am positive I measured the flour correctly. As for over baking….possibly! So it’s meant to be more like a muffin mix than runny cupcake batter ? They were amazing. I’m gonna try again and maybe bake 5 less minutes :). Thanks. LOVED the icing !
SO glad you liked them! Yes, maybe try baking a little less time and see if that works!