Vegan chocolate peanut butter cupcakes with fluffy peanut butter frosting is such a fun dessert. It's like a peanut butter cup in cupcake form!
Jump to:
These vegan peanut butter cupcakes are just amazing! First you bake tender, chocolate cupcakes. Then, you fill them with a little peanut butter frosting and top them with even MORE peanut butter frosting!
And you finish them off with a chocolate peanut candy for maximum chocolate peanut butter flavor.
These decadent cupcakes might seem complicated, but they're actually very easy to make! Whip up the vegan peanut butter frosting while the cupcakes bake and cool, and you'll be ready to assemble in no time.
If you've never made filled cupcakes before, don't worry. I'll walk you through it, and you can check out the video, if you need a visual.
🥜 Ingredients and substitutions
- white wheat flour - You can use all-purpose flour instead, if you prefer.
- cocoa powder - Makes the cupcakes chocolatey!
- baking soda, baking powder, and salt - Condition the batter. A little salt also brings out the peanut flavor in the frosting.
- oil - Adds moisture to the cupcakes. You can substitute applesauce, but the texture of the cupcakes will change.
- sugars - A mix of white and brown sugar adds sweetness to the cupcakes.
- flax meal - Flax meal mixed with water is your vegan egg replacer. Read more on flax eggs!
- vanilla extract - Adds flavor to the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes and the peanut butter frosting.
- vegan milk - A little milk adds moisture to the cupcakes and helps get the frosting to just the right texture.
- hot water - Helps the cocoa powder dissolve in the mixture.
- vegan butter - Softened vegan butter adds richness to your frosting.
- peanut butter - Do not use natural peanut butter! You want peanut butter that doesn't separate for the best results.
- powdered sugar - Adds sweetness and gives your frosting its texture.
- toppings - You can serve these as-is, or top them with sprinkles or candy. I like to put half of a vegan peanut butter cup or a few chocolate covered peanuts on top.
🥣 How to make vegan peanut butter cupcakes
First, make the cupcakes.
Preheat the oven to 350° F and line your muffin pan with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a small bowl, mix the oil, sugars, flax-water mixture, vanilla, and soy milk together until well combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water, and mix again until well combined.
Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake pan, filling each cup about ⅔ full. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting. If you want to cool them faster, you can stick the whole pan into the freezer for about 20 minutes.
Make the frosting while the cupcakes bake and cool.
Use a fork or a hand mixer to cream the butter.
Add the remaining ingredients, and beat with your fork or mixer until you have a light, fluffy frosting.
If your frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar by the tablespoon, beating between additions, until it thickens up. Too thick? Add vegan milk by the tablespoon, beating between additions, until it's nice and fluffy.
Now, you're ready to assemble the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes!
Use a knife at an angle to cut a small, cone-shaped piece out of the top of each cupcake. Set those cones aside - you'll need them! Use a small spoon or a piping bag to fill the hole with the peanut butter frosting. Then, remove the pointy parts of the cones, and stick them back on top of each cupcake to "cap" the frosting-filled holes you cut out.
Top the cupcakes with more frosting, and your toppings of choice onto each one.
💡 Helpful tips
- Do not use natural peanut butter in this recipe! Natural peanut butter is great, but the way it separates makes it the wrong choice for these cupcakes. Choose peanut butter that doesn't separate as it sits.
- Make sure the vegan butter is softened before making the frosting, so it will whip up easily into a light, fluffy frosting.
- When cutting the holes into the tops of the cupcakes, make sure you don't cut too deep. You don't want to cut all the way through. Just about a third to halfway into the cupcake is plenty.
🫙 Storage directions
Unfrosted, the cupcakes will keep for up to four or five days. Frosted, you should eat them within two days. The frosting on its own keeps for up to a week in the fridge.
Frosted cupcakes will keep for one to two days in a closed container on the kitchen counter.
You can also make the cupcakes and freeze them (unfilled) for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours on the kitchen counter before frosting and serving.
💬 Frequently asked questions
You can make and cut the cupcakes up to a day or two ahead, but don't fill or frost them until day-of. Store the cooled cupcakes in a container lined with a paper towel until you're ready to frost.
You can make the frosting in advance as well, just whip it up again before using.
You can also make the cupcakes and freeze them (unfilled) for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours on the kitchen counter before frosting and serving.
🧁 More delicious vegan desserts
📖 Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 cup white wheat flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup oil
- ½ cup organic sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon flax meal mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup soy milk
- ½ cup hot water
For the frosting
- 5 tablespoons vegan butter at room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter see note
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup vegan milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For topping
- vegan sprinkles, vegan peanut butter cups, and/or chocolate covered peanuts
Instructions
Make the cupcakes.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and line your muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a small bowl, mix the oil, sugar, flax-water mixture, vanilla, and soy milk together until well combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water, and mix again until well combined.
- Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake pan, filling each cup about ⅔ full. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then you can remove them to a plate or cooling rack. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting, or the frosting can melt. If you want to cool them faster after removing from the pan, you can stick them into the freezer for about 20 minutes.
Make the frosting while the cupcakes bake and cool.
- Use a fork or a hand mixer to cream the butter.
- Add the remaining ingredients, and beat with your fork or mixer until you have a light, fluffy frosting.
- If your frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar by the tablespoon, beating between additions, until it thickens up. Too thick? Add vegan milk by the tablespoon, beating between additions, until it's nice and fluffy.
Assemble the cupcakes.
- Use a knife at an angle to cut a small, cone-shaped piece out of the top of each cupcake. Set those cones aside - you'll need them! Use a small spoon or a piping bag to fill the hole with the peanut butter frosting. Then, remove the pointy parts of the cones, and stick them back on top of each cupcake to "cap" the frosting-filled holes you cut out.
- Top the cupcakes with your toppings of choice!
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!