Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye Cupcakes {From-Scratch}
The BEST Buckeye cupcake recipe! A chocolate brownie cupcake topped with peanut butter frosting and a drizzle of chocolate topping. These are seriously amazing.
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You’re Going To LOVE Buckeye Cupcakes!
Serve these tender and satisfying peanut butter chocolate cupcakes alongside a mug of coffee, hot cocoa, or warm custard vanilla milk.
If you love this recipe, try my white chocolate walnut blondie bars, easy chewy milk chocolate fudge cookies, or my chocolate ganache tart.
Equipment
- A cupcake/muffin tin. Enough to bake 12 cupcakes like this one.
- Cupcake paper liners.
- Piping bag for frosting and large star tip (or whatever tip you prefer).
- Hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Bowls, spoons, spatulas, etc.
Ingredients
The cupcakes, frosting, and chocolate topping ingredients are listed separately below, along with any relevant notes and substitutions. Your ingredients should all be at room temperature.
Brownie Cupcake Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips | you can also use higher quality chocolate, chopped.
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Salt | just a pinch for balance.
Peanut Butter Frosting Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Milk | used to thin the frosting to the appropriate consistency.
Chocolate Glaze Topping Ingredients:
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips | you can also use higher quality chocolate, chopped.
- Butter | you can also use shortening or lard.
❁ You’ll find the exact amount of each ingredient below in the recipe card. Make sure to select ‘cook mode’ to keep your screen from turning off as you make it. You can also print the recipe.
Instructions (Step-by-Step)
There are three simple parts to making these cupcakes. I have the process shots below for your reference and the instructions. The instructions are repeated in the recipe card below.
- First, you’ll make the brownie batter and bake the cupcakes.
- As the cupcakes are baking, you’ll make the peanut butter frosting.
- After the cupcakes are cooled and frosted to your liking — make the quick chocolate glaze topping and drizzle it over top.
Cupcake Batter Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350° degrees F and then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Add chocolate chips and butter to a pot or double boiler and heat over low heat until fully melted, stirring occasionally.
Let cool slightly.
Step 2: Whisk flour and cocoa powder together in a small mixing bowl until well combined.
Add sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer (you can also use your hand-held mixer), and set the mixer to medium speed.
Slowly pour in the slightly cooled melted butter/chocolate mixture. Continue to beat for several minutes until smooth and fluffy.
Add vanilla and mix well.
Add eggs and beat well after each addition.
Step 3: Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat the batter again to ensure all ingredients are well combined.
Then add dry ingredients and mix on low until well combined. Do not overmix.
Again, scrape the sides of the bowl and mix on high until smooth.
Step 4: Line a 12-serving cupcake pan with cupcake liners, and fill each cup with batter until about 3/4 full.
Step 5: Bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Peanut Butter Frosting Instructions
Frosting Instructions:
Add butter, vanilla, and peanut butter to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth and creamy. You can use a hand mixer instead.
Add powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. The mixture will be dry.
Add milk one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Add frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, and swirl frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
Melted Chocolate Topping Instructions
Chocolate Glaze Topping Instructions:
Make the glaze after the cupcakes are frosted as it cannot sit for long without hardening. It only takes a few minutes.
Add chocolate chips and butter to a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave in 20-second increments, stirring each time.
Continue until fully melted.
Conversely, use a small pot (or double boiler) and melt on the stovetop on low heat, watching carefully the entire time.
Drizzle a generous amount on the top of each cupcake.
Let sit and harden for a few minutes.
Hint: Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature! For even MORE tender and moist cupcakes — replace a tablespoon of flour with cornstarch.
Storage & Freezing
- Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- You can freeze the baked brownie cupcakes (in their liners) and make the frosting later if desired.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Equipment
- A cupcake/muffin tin. Enough to bake 12 cupcakes.
- Cupcake paper liners
- Piping bag for frosting and large star tip or whatever tip you prefer
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Bowls, spoons, spatulas, etc.
Ingredients
Brownie Cupcake Ingredients
- ¼ cup Unsalted butter
- ½ cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips you can also use higher quality chocolate, chopped
- 1 ¼ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- 2 Eggs
- ¾ cup All-purpose flour sifted
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
- Salt just a pinch for balance
Peanut Butter Frosting Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 6 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 cups Powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons Milk more or less may be needed
Chocolate Glaze Topping Ingredients
- ½ cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips you can also use higher quality chocolate, chopped
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted butter
Instructions
Directions For Brownie Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350° degrees F.
- Add chocolate chips and butter to a pot or double boiler and heat over low heat until fully melted, stirring occasionally.
- Let cool slightly.
- Whisk flour and cocoa powder together in a small mixing bowl until well combined.
- Add sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer (you can also use your hand-held mixer), and set the mixer to medium speed.
- Slowly pour in the slightly cooled melted butter/chocolate mixture. Continue to beat for several minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt and mix well.
- Add eggs and beat well after each addition.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat the batter again to ensure all ingredients are well combined.
- Then add dry ingredients and mix on low until well combined. Do not overmix.
- Again, scrape the sides of the bowl and mix on high until smooth.
- Line a 12-serving cupcake pan with cupcake liners, and fill each cup with batter until about ¾ full.
- Bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Peanut Butter Frosting Instructions
- Add butter, vanilla, and peanut butter to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth and creamy. You can use a hand mixer instead.
- Add powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. The mixture will be dry.
- Add milk one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Add frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, and swirl frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
Chocolate Glaze Topping Instructions
- Make the glaze after the cupcakes are frosted as it cannot sit for long without hardening. It only takes a few minutes.
- Add chocolate chips to a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave in 20-second increments, stirring each time OR
- Or, use a small pot (or double boiler) and melt on the stovetop on low heat, watching carefully the entire time and stirring gently.
- Remove from heat and stir in butter until combined.
- Drizzle a generous amount on the top of each frosted cupcake.
- Let sit and harden for a few minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- First, you’ll make the brownie batter and bake the cupcakes.
- As the cupcakes are baking, you’ll make the peanut butter frosting.
- After the cupcakes are cooled and frosted to your liking — make the quick chocolate glaze topping and drizzle it over the tops of the frosted cupcakes.
- Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- If desired, you can freeze the baked brownie cupcakes (in their liners) and make the frosting later.
