Reese’s Cupcakes Rich Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Reese’s Cupcakes

If you love the way chocolate and peanut butter melt into each other, these Reese’s Cupcakes were made for you. Picture a soft chocolate cupcake with a whole Reese’s cup tucked inside, finished with a generous swirl of creamy peanut butter frosting. That is the whole idea, and it comes together with just 6 ingredients.

The texture is the part that surprises people. These cupcakes bake up light, but they still taste rich, because the cake mix gives you a tender crumb while the candy in the center adds a gooey peanut butter moment in the middle. You get two layers of flavor in one bite without any complicated steps.

Best of all, the whole recipe is quick enough to make in under half an hour. That makes it a realistic option for a weeknight, a bake sale, or a last minute birthday treat when you want something that looks and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.

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A boxed chocolate cake mix does the heavy lifting here. I keep one in the pantry for exactly this reason. Then a single Reese’s cup goes into the center of each cupcake, so every one has that hidden surprise.

If you enjoy peanut butter desserts, this is the same flavor family as peanut butter blondies and peanut butter fudge, just in cupcake form.

I started making these for cookouts because they disappear faster than anything else on the table, and nobody ever guesses how little work went into them.

Main Ingredients

Before you start, it helps to know what each piece is doing in the bowl. Each one earns its place, and swapping the wrong one can change the finished cupcake.

Chocolate cake mix. Any brand or type works. Devil’s food, chocolate fudge, and dark chocolate boxed mixes all give you a deep cocoa flavor that stands up to peanut butter.

The box also calls for its own ingredients, usually eggs, oil, and water, so read the side panel before you shop. Keeping a spare box in the pantry means you can make a second batch without another trip to the store.

Peanut butter. A favorite commercial brand such as Jif is the safe pick. You want something smooth and spreadable that will whip into the butter without fighting it. The stiffer, natural peanut butter that contains only peanuts can separate during baking, and you can end up with oily cupcakes instead of fluffy ones.

Reese’s Miniature Cups. These are the star of the show. They bring chocolate and peanut flavor straight into the middle of each cake. If you are worried about them turning too gooey in the oven, freeze them first and they will hold their shape better.

A store brand works just as well if that is what you have on hand. One 10.5 ounce share pack gives you enough mini cups for the centers plus a few extra to chop for the top.

Confectioners’ sugar. Also called icing sugar or powdered sugar. It is very fine, so it sweetens the frosting without leaving a grainy texture the way regular white sugar would. Two cups go into the frosting, and having a little extra on hand never hurts.

Unsalted butter. Softened butter is the base of the frosting and gives it body. Take it out of the fridge about half an hour before you start so it creams easily with the peanut butter.

Milk. Milk thins the frosting so it pipes smoothly. Add it slowly, because too much at the start means you will need extra sugar to thicken it back up. Whole, coconut, oat, rice, or almond milk all work here.

A quick note: if you only remember one thing, remember the milk. Pour it in a tablespoon at a time and your frosting will land at the perfect consistency.

Instructions Overview

Here is the shape of the whole process before we get into the details.

Start by making the cake batter according to the directions on your box, because brands vary and the amounts of egg, oil, and water are not the same from one to the next.

Divide the batter among the 12 paper liner lined holes of a muffin pan. Then push a Reese’s mini cup into the middle of each one and press gently so the batter covers it. Filling the liners halfway matters more than it sounds.

Leave room for the candy and for the cake to rise without spilling over the edges.

Bake for about 16 minutes. When the cupcakes come out, leave them in the pan and let them cool completely before you touch the frosting, because warm cake will melt it right off.

For the frosting, cream the peanut butter with the butter, then add some confectioners’ sugar and some milk. Repeat those additions about a tablespoon at a time until the frosting tastes good and reaches the consistency you want.

Pipe it onto the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle chopped Reese’s mini cups over the top. Nothing here is fussy, and the whole thing moves quickly once the oven is on.

Chopnotch Tips

If mini Reese’s cups are not available, regular Reese’s cups can be used instead. Just chop them into smaller pieces first so they tuck into the batter without tearing it.

These cupcakes keep well. You can make them a day ahead with the frosting already on and store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

To freeze, do it before frosting. Unfrosted cupcakes freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then let them come to room temperature before you add the frosting.

And the flavor? It is exactly what you would hope for: chocolate cake, Reese’s peanut butter cups, and a creamy peanut flavored frosting all in one bite. The chopped candy on top is the finishing touch, and it takes about a minute to scatter.

One more habit that helps: lift the cupcakes out of the pan once they are completely cool, and set them on a plate in a single layer before you pipe. It keeps the frosting from sliding and makes cleanup easier.

Plan ahead and this dessert becomes almost effortless. Bake and freeze the cakes now, then frost them the morning of the party and they will taste freshly made.

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate cake mix, plus the ingredients called for on the box
• 10.5 ounces Reese’s Miniature Cups, one share pack size package
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk, as needed to thin the frosting

The cake mix plus its own added ingredients covers the cupcakes. The Reese’s cups supply the hidden center and the garnish, and the butter, peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, and milk build the frosting.

Instructions

Here is the full method, start to finish. It reads long, but the actual hands on time is short.

To make the cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set it aside.
2. Prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the instructions on the box, then spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each liner about half of the way full.
3. Place one Reese’s mini cup into the center of each filled liner and gently press it into the batter.
4. Bake for 16 minutes, then remove the tin from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely in the tin.

They will firm up as they cool, and the candy center will set into a soft, fudgy middle. The candy center settles as the cupcakes cool, so the middle stays soft while the cake around it firms up.

To make the frosting

While the cupcakes bake, you can make the frosting, which saves you a whole step later.

1. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and peanut butter until well combined.
2. Then mix in the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time. Add one tablespoon of milk at a time, as needed, if the frosting is becoming too thick as you mix the sugar in.
3. Once you have the right consistency, transfer the frosting into a piping bag and pipe it onto each cupcake.
4. Chop the remaining mini Reese’s cups and scatter them over the frosting to garnish. Serve and enjoy.

Pipe the frosting while the cupcakes are fully cool so it stays where you put it, and add the chopped candy right before serving so it keeps its crunch. The frosting comes together fast, so give yourself a few minutes at the end rather than rushing it.

Notes

Cupcakes can be frozen without frosting for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then let them reach room temperature before adding the frosting.

That single habit makes this recipe easy to split into two sessions: bake one day, frost the next.

Recipe details

One frosted cupcake has about 353 calories, 52g carbohydrates, 7g protein, 24g fat, 8g saturated fat, 2g fiber, 16g sugar, 392mg sodium, and 21mg cholesterol.

Serve them the day you frost them for the best texture, and keep any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Reese’s Cupcakes If you love the way chocolate and peanut butter melt into each other, these Reese’s Cupcakes were made for you. Picture a soft chocolate cupcake with a whole Reese’s cup tucked inside, finished with a generous swirl of creamy peanut butter frosting.

• Total Time: 31 min
• Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1 box chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients called for on the box
10.5 ounces Reese’s Miniature Cups, 1 “share pack” size package
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk, as needed to thin the frosting

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Instructions

To make the cupcakes
1-Preheat the oven to 350°F: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
2-Prepare the chocolate cake mix according to: Prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the instructions on the box and then spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin filling each liner about ½ of the way full.
3-Place one Reese’s mini cup into the: Place one Reese’s mini cup into the center of each one and gently press in place into the batter.
4-Bake for 16 minutes and then remove: Bake for 16 minutes and then remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely in the tin.

To make the frosting
5-Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, cream: Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and peanut butter until well combined.
6-Then mix in the confectioners’ sugar a: Then mix in the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time. Add one tablespoon of milk at a time, as needed, if the frosting is becoming too thick as you mix the sugar in.
7-Once you have the right consistency, transfer: Once you have the right consistency, transfer the frosting into a piping bag and pipe it onto each cupcake.
8-Chop the remaining mini Reese’s cups to: Chop the remaining mini Reese’s cups to garnish the cupcakes with. Serve and enjoy!

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 16 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 353kcal
• Sugar: 16g
• Sodium: 392mg
• Fat: 24g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 52g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 7g
• Cholesterol: 21mg