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Chocolate cupcakes with a hidden Reese’s peanut butter cup centre, peanut butter frosting, and even more Reese’s = heavenly peanut butter cupcakes!

Peanut butter cupcakes

Chocolate and peanut butter is one of those flavour combinations that never lets you down. These chocolate cupcakes with a hidden Reese’s peanut butter cup centre, might just be my favourite peanut-butter-based bake so far. They’re a little bit indulgent, totally fun, and guaranteed to disappear fast. This recipe is one that has been so highly requested for such a long time. I honestly can’t count the amount of times that it has been requested, so I thought I would start the year very tastily, after my gin & tonic drizzle cake last week, with this beauty of a recipe.

For years I couldn’t actually eat peanuts, so recipes like this were on pause… but once I could, I made up for lost time very quickly. Let’s just say my taste testers were very happy about that! I always think of these as the cupcake equivalent of a hug. They look sweet, they taste rich and nutty, and they have that gooey peanut butter surprise inside that makes everyone do the “oh my gosh” face when they bite in. It’s pure joy, in cupcake form. If you like this sort of bake, you’ll love my no-bake peanut butter cheesecake, I adore annyyttthiinnng Chocolatey. So peanuts, and chocolate combined is PERFECTION!

Reese’s-stuffed chocolate sponge

The base of these cupcakes is a soft, chocolatey sponge that’s really simple to make, but never bland. I use light brown sugar in the mix because it adds that slightly caramel warmth and keeps the cupcakes beautifully moist. Honestly, once you start baking chocolate cakes with brown sugar you’ll struggle to go back as you can see in my Rolo Cupcakes.

Now for the really fun bit, the hidden centre. I take two Reese’s Miniatures, sandwich them together, and gently push them into the centre of each cupcake before baking. They melt ever so slightly into the sponge and create the most gorgeous peanut butter middle. The first time I tried this I expected the chocolate to sink to the bottom, but surprisingly it stayed right in the middle, clearly meant to be.

You can absolutely swap these for Reese’s Pieces, a full-size cup, or even another peanut butter chocolate. I’ve even “eyeballed it” before and just pushed in whatever I had left in the cupboard after snacking on a few… because who can open a bag and not nibble at least one?

Peanut butter buttercream

The frosting really is the star, it’s rich, creamy and full of peanut butter flavour without being too heavy. I use smooth peanut butter, because it pipes like a dream and gives the buttercream that silky finish. Crunchy works too of course… but just be prepared for the odd peanut chunk getting stuck in your piping tip. Been there, done that, won’t admit how many times.

I balance the peanut butter with icing sugar and real butter, and I sometimes splash in a tablespoon or two of boiling water to loosen it slightly. I don’t measure these too scientifically to be honest, it’s very much a “tiny splash at a time until it looks right” situation. You want it soft enough to pipe, but thick enough to hold a swirl. This frosting is dangerously good straight from the bowl. Watch out as sometimes, before I knew it about three spoonfuls had vanished. So if your batch decorates only 11 cupcakes instead of 12… I fully support you.

Decorating with Reese’s

To decorate, I use my trusty 2D closed star piping tip because it creates that gorgeous ruffled swirl effect without even trying. I love using white cupcake cases for these because they create a beautiful contrast against the colours of the Reese’s minis, it’s the small things that make me happy. Honestly, themed bakes just spark joy.

Once the buttercream is on, I add Reese’s Pieces and half a peanut butter cup on top of each cupcake. I’m always generous with the toppings… I usually just grab a “small handful” and sprinkle away like a peanut-butter-loving fairy. You could also drizzle on melted chocolate or even a little melted peanut butter if you want that extra dramatic finish. These are the kind of cupcakes that make people instantly ask, “Did you really bake those?” They look impressive, but they’re actually so simple.

Variations

If you love peanut butter you would also love my peanut butter pie, and peanut butter fudge, which both use Reese’s in them. However, if you want something slightly different, these cupcakes are so easy to customise. Swap the chocolate sponge for vanilla if you want a lighter base, or add a handful (about 100g) of chocolate chips into the sponge mixture for extra gooey-chocolate goodness. I’ve done both, depending on what mood I’m in… or how much chocolate I have left in the baking cupboard.

You could also use crunchy peanut butter in the frosting for added bite. Personally, I adore smooth peanut butter in buttercream because of the texture, but crunchy lovers, you do you. Baking should always be fun and a little bit rebellious. And if you’re baking for someone who isn’t wild about peanut butter (I know, I know…), you can leave out the Reese’s and just top with chocolate treats instead. They’ll still be utterly delicious.

Tips & tricks

You don’t have to add the Reese’s Miniatures if you don’t want to, but it adds a nice peanutty flavour!
I used supermarket own peanut butter, but its smooth so it pipes well.
These cupcakes will last for 3+ days once made at room temperature
You can freeze the cupcakes for 3+ months
I use this cocoa powder in this bake
I also use some white cupcake cases for this bake
I use a 2d closed star piping tip for the frosting