I reimagined the classic sandwich as Peanut Cupcakes, tucking jelly into a peanut butter infused cake and topping each one with a smooth peanut butter frosting that hides a sweet secret.

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I know, it sounds basic, but these are not your average treats. I wanted to trap that PB and jelly thrill in cupcake form, so I stuffed moist cake centers with bright jam or jelly and piled on a silky creamy peanut butter frosting.

These feel like grown up Peanut Cupcakes with a wink, and the memory of tiny Peanut Butter And Jelly Jars comes rushing back. I burned the first batch and learned some rough lessons, so what you get is more honest, slightly flawed, and dangerously addictive.

You will want more, even if you try to save one for later.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: Gives structure and carbs, low fiber, builds cake crumb, not very nutritious though
Unsalted butter: Adds richness, fat and flavor, makes tender crumb, supplies calories and fat
Granulated sugar: Pure sweetner, mostly simple carbs, helps browning and texture, no protein
Creamy peanut butter: Packed with protein and healthy fats, adds peanut punch, can be a bit salty
Eggs: Give structure, protein and moisture, help rise, add richness and color
Milk: Adds moisture, lactose sugars and some protein, helps make a softer crumb
White vinegar: Tiny acid that reacts with leaveners, gives a subtle tang to balance sweetness
Jam or jelly: Big hit of sweetness and fruit flavor, mostly sugar, little fiber
Powdered sugar (frosting): Makes fluffy sweet frosting, pure carbs, adjusts texture with cream

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp fine salt

1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened, divided

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup + 1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided

3/4 cup (180 ml) milk

1 tbsp white vinegar

3/4 cup (about 230 g) jam or jelly (strawberry or grape work great)

3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar

2 to 4 tbsp milk or heavy cream for frosting

a pinch fine salt

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Make quick buttermilk by stirring 1 tbsp white vinegar into 3/4 cup milk and set aside while you measure other things.

2. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp fine salt in a bowl, set aside.

3. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup (113 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 large room temp eggs one at a time, then 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter; beat until combined. Dont overmix.

4. With mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk in 3 additions, starting and ending with the dry mix. Scrape the bowl and mix just until no streaks remain, batter should be smooth but not overworked.

5. Portion batter into liners (an ice cream scoop gives even results) about 3/4 full. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Once cooled, core the center of each cupcake with a small knife, melon baller or apple corer leaving a well for filling. Spoon or pipe jam into each cavity using about 3/4 cup total jam for the batch, a teaspoon or so per cupcake.

7. Make the frosting: beat the remaining 1/2 cup (113 g) softened butter with 1 cup creamy peanut butter until smooth. Add 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar and a pinch of fine salt, then add 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream and beat; add up to 2 more tbsp milk if needed to reach a spreadable consistency. Taste and adjust salt or sweetness if you want.

8. Pipe or spread the peanut butter frosting onto the jam filled cupcakes. If the frosting is too soft chill 10 minutes in the fridge then re-whip a few seconds and finish decorating. A star tip looks nice but just a simple swirl works great too.

9. Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. If chilled, bring back to room temp 30 to 60 minutes before serving so the frosting softens and the flavors shine.

Equipment Needed

1. 12-cup muffin tin
2. Paper cupcake liners
3. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
4. Electric mixer (stand or hand) or a sturdy whisk if you wanna do it by hand
5. Measuring cups, spoons and a kitchen scale for accuracy if you like
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for scraping and folding
7. Ice cream scoop or large spoon for even portions
8. Toothpick or cake tester to check doneness
9. Wire cooling rack
10. Small knife or melon baller or apple corer plus a piping bag with a tip or a zip-top bag for filling and frosting

FAQ

Q: Why does the recipe call for milk plus vinegar? A: That makes a quick buttermilk which gives the cupcakes a tender crumb and helps the baking soda react so they rise. Just stir the tablespoon of vinegar into the 3 quarters cup milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes before using.

Q: How do I get jam in the center without making the cupcakes sink? A: The easiest, most reliable way is to bake the cupcakes fully, then let them cool a few minutes, use a small spoon or a piping tip to core out the center and pipe in the jam. You can drop jam into the batter before baking but it can sink or spread, especially if the jam is thin.

Q: Can I use natural or crunchy peanut butter? A: Crunchy is fine in the batter for texture, natural peanut butter works but it tends to be oilier and can make the frosting looser. If using natural, chill it first so it firms up, then beat it into the butter. For a stable, fluffy frosting commercial creamy peanut butter is easiest.

Q: My frosting is too stiff or too runny how do I fix it? A: If too stiff add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time up to the 2 to 4 tablespoons called for, until it spreads easily. If too runny add more powdered sugar a little at a time. If it gets greasy, pop it in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes then rewhip.

Q: Can I make these ahead or freeze them? A: Yes. You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge, bring to room temp, then fill with jam and frost. If you freeze frosted cupcakes, freeze them on a tray first so the frosting firms, then wrap gently to avoid smudging.

Q: Why did my cupcakes come out dense or sunken? A: Common reasons are overmixing the batter which knocks out air, old baking powder or soda that lost potency, underbaking, or wrong oven temp. Use room temp eggs and butter, measure ingredients properly, mix until just combined and check your oven with a thermometer.

The BEST Peanut Butter And Jelly Cupcakes Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap 1:1 with whole wheat pastry flour for a slightly nuttier, denser cake, or use a gluten free 1:1 cup for cup blend (make sure it has xanthan gum) if you need GF.
Unsalted butter (softened): you can use salted butter 1:1 but cut the added salt by about 1/4 tsp, or use solid coconut oil or vegetable shortening 1:1 if you want a dairy free option just know the flavor and crumb will change a bit.
Eggs: replace each large egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 mins) for an easy vegan swap, or use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg for extra moisture though the crumb might be a touch heavier.
Creamy peanut butter: swap 1:1 with almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter (sunbutter) for nut free kitchens; flavor will change but texture stays similar.

Pro Tips

– Use weight for the flour if you can, otherwise dont scoop the cup straight into the bag. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off, even a little extra flour will make the crumb dry and heavy.

– Get the eggs and butter truly room temp, it really makes the batter smoother and the cupcakes bake more evenly. If youre short on time, put the eggs in warm water for 10 minutes, works like a charm.

– Warm the jam a few seconds in the microwave or in a small saucepan so it pipes into the centers neat, and strain chunky bits if you want a satin finish. For the filling try piping a little first then topping so you dont overfill and get soggy tops.

– If your frosting gets too soft chill it 10 minutes then re-whip, that brings back the structure without needing extra sugar. Also a tiny pinch more salt in the peanut butter frosting will stop it from tasting too sweet, dont skip tasting.

– Watch your oven for hot spots, rotate the pan halfway through baking, and let the cupcakes cool completely before coring or frosting or they will collapse or the frosting will slide off. If you need to store them long term they freeze really well unfilled, just thaw in the fridge then bring to room temp before serving.

The BEST Peanut Butter And Jelly Cupcakes Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

I reimagined the classic sandwich as Peanut Cupcakes, tucking jelly into a peanut butter infused cake and topping each one with a smooth peanut butter frosting that hides a sweet secret.

Servings

servings

Calories

636

kcal

Equipment: 1. 12-cup muffin tin
2. Paper cupcake liners
3. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
4. Electric mixer (stand or hand) or a sturdy whisk if you wanna do it by hand
5. Measuring cups, spoons and a kitchen scale for accuracy if you like
6. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for scraping and folding
7. Ice cream scoop or large spoon for even portions
8. Toothpick or cake tester to check doneness
9. Wire cooling rack
10. Small knife or melon baller or apple corer plus a piping bag with a tip or a zip-top bag for filling and frosting

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine salt
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened, divided
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
3/4 cup (180 ml) milk
1 tbsp white vinegar
3/4 cup (about 230 g) jam or jelly (strawberry or grape work great)
3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
2 to 4 tbsp milk or heavy cream for frosting
a pinch fine salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Make quick buttermilk by stirring 1 tbsp white vinegar into 3/4 cup milk and set aside while you measure other things.
Whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp fine salt in a bowl, set aside.
In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup (113 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 large room temp eggs one at a time, then 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter; beat until combined. Dont overmix.
With mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk in 3 additions, starting and ending with the dry mix. Scrape the bowl and mix just until no streaks remain, batter should be smooth but not overworked.
Portion batter into liners (an ice cream scoop gives even results) about 3/4 full. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, core the center of each cupcake with a small knife, melon baller or apple corer leaving a well for filling. Spoon or pipe jam into each cavity using about 3/4 cup total jam for the batch, a teaspoon or so per cupcake.
Make the frosting: beat the remaining 1/2 cup (113 g) softened butter with 1 cup creamy peanut butter until smooth. Add 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar and a pinch of fine salt, then add 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream and beat; add up to 2 more tbsp milk if needed to reach a spreadable consistency. Taste and adjust salt or sweetness if you want.
Pipe or spread the peanut butter frosting onto the jam filled cupcakes. If the frosting is too soft chill 10 minutes in the fridge then re-whip a few seconds and finish decorating. A star tip looks nice but just a simple swirl works great too.
Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. If chilled, bring back to room temp 30 to 60 minutes before serving so the frosting softens and the flavors shine.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.