Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

When you think of Valentine’s Day what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

Chocolate!!

Oh, you thought it was love? Well, it is – love of chocolate….and peanut butter!

And if you really love your Valentine, you will make them these Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes with the most amazing, eat-it-by-the-spoonful, light and fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting!

Who doesn’t love cupcakes?! Such a yummy treat. And each one is individually packaged for ease of eating and portion control.

Don’t have a Valentine? No problem – make these for yourself because you are a rockstar and you deserve it!

Ingredient notes and substitutions

These delicious, rich, chocolatey, peanut butter cupcakes are dairy free and vegan. Yet, they bake up fluffy with a perfect cupcake crumb. Here’s what you’ll need to make them…

Flour ~ All-purpose flour is the best choice to keep these peanut butter cupcakes light and fluffy.

For a gluten-free option, choose a gluten-free blend meant to replace wheat flour at 1:1 ratio, like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour.

Sugar ~ I use organic cane sugar, but you could use part cane sugar and part light brown sugar, if you prefer.

Note: While all sugar is plant-based, not all brands are vegan. Some brands process the sugar with the use of bone char. If this is important to you, be sure to choose organic sugar, which is always vegan, or check labels to ensure you’re buying a vegan variety.

Cocoa powder ~ Choose unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe.

Instant espresso powder ~ This is an optional ingredient, but brings out the richness of the chocolate. Leave it out if you don’t have it.

Peanut butter ~ In most instances, I prefer an organic natural peanut butter that is made from just peanuts and salt. You need to stir this kind of peanut butter as the natural oils will separate and rise to the top of the jar.

Pro tip: Empty the jar of peanut butter into a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with a silicone spatula until smooth. Carefully, pour the mixed peanut butter back into the original jar and store in the fridge. It should stay separated and creamy this way.

If all you have is a traditional, no-stir variety of peanut butter, that will work, too.

For a nut-free option, use sunflower seed butter.

Oil ~ Use a neutral flavored oil, like grapeseed or canola. Choose organic, if possible. Peanut butter cupcakes tend to be dry, so a bit of oil is needed to keep them nice and moist.

Melted coconut oil can also be used.

Vinegar ~ I use apple cider vinegar because it’s a plant-based pantry staple in our house. White distilled vinegar will also work.

Water ~ You can use unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk if you really want, but good ol’ water is all you need here. Water will help keep these vegan cupcakes light and moist.

Frosting ~ I paired these vegan chocolate cupcakes with my light and fluffy, dairy-free, vegan peanut butter frosting! It’s so dreamy!

I am not going to lie to you, it’s not low-cal, nor low-sugar, but we’re talking about cupcakes and frosting here. It’s a treat, not an every day food.

If you are nut-free, use your favorite store-bought or homemade nut-free frosting.

How to make the recipe

Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.

This recipe is super easy to make. You just need a couple of mixing bowls and a whisk.

First, add the dry ingredients to a bowl (1) and whisk until thoroughly combined (2).

Next, in a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (3).

Then, pour the dry into the wet and whisk until smooth with no remaining white flour visible (4).

Line a cupcake pan with liners and fill each one about halfway (about ¼ cup of batter) (5).

Bake until set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack for about 10 minutes (6), until cool enough to handle. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and continue cooling in the liners on a wire rack.

They are moist, fluffy, and rich with chocolate flavor and just enough peanut butter to feel indulgent.

They are perfect just like this, but paired with my Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting, they are so decadent!

If you choose to frost them, allow them to cool completely, which will take at least an hour.

You can pipe the frosting on the cupcakes to look fancy or simply spread the frosting on with an offset spatula.

Top them off with sprinkles, chopped peanuts, mini chocolate chips, or cacao nibs.

Storage and freezing

You can store cupcakes frosted or unfrosted.

On the counter

Store finished cupcakes in an air-tight container on the counter for about 3 to 4 days. Ensure they are fully cooled before transferring them for storage. If the cupcakes are already frosted, choose a container that is tall enough to accommodate the height of the frosting.

In the fridge

I do not recommend storing them in the fridge as that will actually dry them out.

In the freezer

You can also freeze these vegan peanut butter cupcakes!

Unfrosted ~ Wrap each unfrosted cupcake individually in plastic wrap, then stack them in a freezer-safe plastic bag. They should keep well for 3 to 4 months.

When ready to serve, unwrap the cupcakes and defrost them on the counter for a couple of hours before frosting.

Frosted ~ Place the frosted cupcakes on a baking sheet or large plate in one layer and set in the freezer for an hour or two until the frosting is frozen. Wrap each frosted cupcake in plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer-safe storage container. Again, they should keep for 3 to 4 months.

When ready to serve, carefully unwrap the cupcakes and allow to defrost on the counter for an hour or two.

Pro tips and tricks

~ Use the spoon and level method to measure the flour. Otherwise you may end up with too much flour, making the cupcakes dense.

~ Whisk the batter until just combined and no visible white flour remains. Do not overmix.

~ Use cupcake liners in the pan to avoid sticking.

~ Fill each cavity about ½ full, which should be about ¼ cup of batter. A tablespoon or two over or under that amount is fine, but do not fill the cavities more than ¾th full.

~ Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

~ Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack for about 10 minutes, until they are cool enough to handle. Then, take the cupcakes out of the pan and continue cooling on the wire rack.

~ Ensure the peanut butter cupcakes are completely cool before frosting them.

~ Store cupcakes on the counter in a container with a tight fitting lid for 3 to 4 days.

FAQs

More vegan cakes and cupcakes

• Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
• Vanilla Corn Cake
• Vegan Carrot Cake
• Vegan Gingerbread Cake
• Banana Snack Cake
• Chai Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake