Easy Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Easy Peanut Butter Cupcakes on a platter

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 24 servings

This recipe is the best shortcut you'll find to making tasty and fluffy peanut butter cupcakes. Pre-made chocolate frosting and a box of yellow cake mix are the keys to having 24 cupcakes ready in no time. You can choose to make the cake batter with water or use milk for a richer version. Once the cupcakes are cool, a chocolate-peanut butter frosting is the final touch to have a decadent yet easy treat on your table. This is a great recipe for birthday parties, family gatherings, or any other celebratory occasion. Decorate your cupcakes with mini Reese's pieces, semi-sweet chocolate chips, or chocolate shavings. You'll be amazed by how little time it takes to put the dessert together, and your guests will appreciate both the delicious cupcakes and the speedy delivery.

Yellow cake mix is a great ingredient to have at home for those last-minute dessert emergencies that might arise. Besides, just the cake itself, without any frills, is always a delicious treat. Classic yellow cake mix is simply a ready-to-use preparation made out of what you'd normally use to make a cake: flour, baking powder, salt, plus some additives and preservatives to make it shelf-stable. Though you can make your own cake batter for this recipe, the beauty of these cupcakes is that there are very few measurements to make and the only thing you need is to do is mix the cake with water, eggs, and peanut butter, bake it, and frost it once the cupcakes are cool.

As the frosting is chocolate, the peanut butter isn't evident to the naked eye. It's a good idea to place a sign nearby stating that the cupcakes contain peanuts to avoid any allergy-related emergencies during your gathering. Alternatively, decorate the cupcakes with whole salted peanuts so people know what's in them.

"These cupcakes couldn’t be easier to make. Zhuzhing up store-bought products means they come together in a snap and it’s so customizable! Depending on the frosting you buy and how strong you want the flavor to be, consider adding a touch more peanut butter for an extra nutty kick." —Kayla Hoang

Easy Peanut Butter Cupcakes/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 package yellow cake mix, plus eggs, oil, and water as directed for a 2-layer cake

  • 3/4 cup chunky peanut butter, divided

  • 1 (16-ounce) can chocolate frosting

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Easy Peanut Butter Cupcakes ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions, adding 1/2 cup of peanut butter along with the eggs, oil, and water called for on the box directions.

    Cupcake batter in a stand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Spoon the batter into muffin pans lined with baking cups, filling each about 2/3 full.

    Cupcake batter in lined cupcake tins

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cake bounces back when touched lightly.

    Baked cupcakes in cupcake tins

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Place cupcakes on a rack to cool.

    Cupcakes on a cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Blend ready-to-spread frosting with the remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter.

    Cupcake frosting in a bowl with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Frost the cooled cupcakes, and serve.

    Easy Peanut Butter Cupcakes frosted on a cooling rack, next to a pastry bag with frosting

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
133 Calories
5g Fat
20g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 133
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 200mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 50mg 4%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 72mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)