These Devil’s Food Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting are rich, intensely chocolatey, and incredibly moist, topped with a creamy peanut butter frosting. If you love the chocolate-and-peanut-butter pairing, this recipe is for you.
Table of Contents
- Devil’s Food Cupcakes: Grab the Ingredients
- Substitutions
- Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting
- Let’s Make Devil’s Food Cupcakes!
- Helpful Tips Before Starting
- Recipe FAQs
- More Chocolate and Peanut Butter Desserts to Enjoy!
- Devil’s Food Cupcakes Recipe
Devil’s Food Cupcakes: Grab the Ingredients
Here’s a concise list of what you’ll need to make these moist chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting.
- All-purpose flour
- Dutch-process cocoa powder
- Baking soda and baking powder
- Salt
- Espresso powder
- Light brown sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- Vanilla extract
- Dark chocolate (70% cacao recommended)
- Boiling water
Substitutions
Espresso powder: If you don’t have espresso powder, use instant coffee dissolved in the boiling water before adding it to the batter.
Sour cream: Plain Greek yogurt is an easy swap for full‑fat sour cream.
Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting
This easy frosting comes together in a bowl with a mixer; sift the powdered sugar to prevent lumps for a smooth, pipeable finish.
Frosting ingredients:
- Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- Creamy peanut butter (regular, not oil-separated)
- Sifted powdered sugar
- Heavy whipping cream
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
Let’s Make Devil’s Food Cupcakes!
Overview of the method—see the recipe card below for exact measurements and steps.
- Melt the dark chocolate gently (microwave in short bursts) and set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: flour, Dutch cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.
- Beat the wet ingredients: vegetable oil, light brown sugar, eggs, sour cream (or yogurt), and vanilla until combined.
- Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed.
- Add the melted chocolate and boiling water while mixing on low; the batter will be thin. Use a cookie scoop and fill liners about 3/4 full.
- Bake the cupcakes on the middle rack at 375°F for 18–20 minutes, until they spring back when pressed.
- Make the frosting: cream the butter and peanut butter, then add sifted powdered sugar, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla. Frost cooled cupcakes.
Helpful Tips Before Starting
- Cookie scoop: A 3-tablespoon scoop works well to portion batter evenly.
- Cupcake liners: Standard liners work fine; thinner wave-style liners will yield more cupcakes per batch.
- Decorating tip: Piping is optional—Wilton 2A is a good reference if you want a swirl.
- Garnishes: Keep them simple or add crushed peanuts, mini peanut butter cups, or a light chocolate drizzle.
Recipe FAQs
Because the recipe balances Dutch-process cocoa with baking soda and baking powder, swapping in regular unsweetened cocoa could affect the texture and rise. Stick with Dutch-process if possible.
Standard cupcake liners work well. Thinner wave-style liners hold less batter, so they produce more cupcakes per batch.
This recipe yields about 24 standard cupcakes (two pans).
The frosting recipe makes enough to cover 24 cupcakes with a generous, pipeable layer.
A Wilton 2A tip was used for the swirls; an offset spatula works well for a more rustic look.
More Chocolate and Peanut Butter Desserts to Enjoy!
Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms
Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Tart
Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
Devil’s Food Cupcakes
Ingredients
Devil’s Food Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp espresso powder
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz dark chocolate, 70% cacao, melted
- 1 cup boiling water
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Devil’s Food Cupcakes
- Adjust the oven rack to the second position and preheat to 375ºF. Line two cupcake tins with liners.
- Melt the dark chocolate in short microwave bursts at 50% power until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Whisk together flour, Dutch cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.
- With a mixer, beat vegetable oil, light brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla on medium-high until combined.
- Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients, scraping the bowl as needed.
- On low speed, add the melted chocolate, then the boiling water, mixing until just combined. The batter will be thin.
- Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to fill liners about 3/4 full.
- Bake both pans side-by-side for 18–20 minutes at 375ºF, until cupcakes spring back when pressed.
- Cool in the pans 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost only when cool to the touch. Cupcakes can be made up to two nights ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- Beat the unsalted butter until soft and creamy. Add peanut butter and mix until well blended.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add sifted powdered sugar, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla. Scrape the bowl as needed and beat until smooth and pipeable.
- Frost cupcakes with a piping tip or offset spatula. Garnish as desired.
Video
Notes
- Cookie scoop: A 3-tablespoon scoop yields even-sized cupcakes and fills liners about 3/4 full.
- Cupcake liners: Standard liners are fine; thinner wave liners hold less batter and give more cupcakes per batch.
- Decorating tip: Piping is optional; Wilton 2A is a good reference for a classic swirl.
- Garnish ideas: crushed peanuts, mini peanut butter cups, or a light chocolate drizzle.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary with ingredients used.