These peanut butter caramel cupcakes are the perfect combination of soft vanilla cupcakes from scratch filled with a flavorful peanut butter caramel filling and topped with the most creamy peanut butter caramel buttercream. For an extra pop of peanut butter caramel flavor, cupcakes are finished with a drizzle of peanut butter caramel sauce and a sprinkling of finely chopped roasted peanuts!
How to Make Peanut Butter Caramel Filled Cupcakes
Ok, so peanut butter caramel is like one of my new favorite flavor combinations! The creamy, slightly salty flavor of the peanut butter perfectly balances out the overall sweetness of the caramel. As a lover of desserts that are not overly sweet, I am all for pairing savory and sweet flavors together. Each bite of these incredibly moist peanut butter caramel filled cupcakes will literally leave you wanting more! Here is what you will need to make cupcakes:
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Milk
- Unsalted Butter
- Neutral Flavored Oil
- Apple Cider/White Vinegar
- Vanilla Extract
Key Tips for Making Moist Cupcakes From Scratch
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients – to ensure that cupcake batter comes together smoothly without any lumps, all ingredients, specifically the refrigerated ingredients i.e. eggs, butter and milk should be brought to room temperature before using. Starting off with room temperature ingredients will also help against over mixing cake batter.
- Properly Measure Out Ingredients – taking the time to measure out the ingredients correctly will in turn result in cupcakes that are moist rather than dense. For dry ingredients, in particular, the flour, I recommend using the spoon and level as opposed to the scoop and level measuring method. Spooning helps to break up the flour so that it is less compact which in turn helps in ensuring that the accurate amount of flour is being measured.
- Adequately Cream Together Fats and Sugar – making sure that the butter, oil and sugar are properly creamed will help to aerate cupcake batter and help avoid ending up with a dense, dry bake. Essentially, this step is cruscial to achieve cupcakes that are soft in texture. The butter, oil and sugar should be creamed until mixture appears light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Avoid Overmixing Batter – over mixing cupcake batter will undoubtably result in cupcakes that are dense and dry. The reason for this is that wheat based flour naturally has gluten in it and the more the gluten is worked, the more it develops resulting in a denser bake.
- Evenly Divide Cupcake Batter – to ensure that I end up with evenly baked cupcakes, I like to use a large cookie or ice scoop. Furthermore, I fill each cupcake liner no more than 3/4 the way up with batter allowing some room for the cupcake to rise as it bakes without overflowing.
- Refrain from Overbaking Cupcakes – overbaking is just as bad as overmixing cupcake batter as both actions will result in dense, dry cupcakes. A good way to tell if cupcakes are ready is insert a toothpick into the center of one towards the end of bake time. If the toothpick comes out clean without any moist batter, cupcake are ready and should be removed from oven.
Peanut Butter Caramel Filling
This creamy peanut butter caramel filling is insanely delish and requires only two ingredients – cream peanut butter and salted caramel sauce! To make filling, simply add the caramel sauce and peanut butter into a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
Next, heat up peanut butter caramel mixture in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to loosen up peanut butter caramel sauce into a pourable but not too runny consistency.
Transfer 3/4 of peanut butter caramel sauce to pastry bag and set aside until ready to use. Reserve the remaining 1/4 of sauce for drizzling over piped buttercream.
Peanut Butter Caramel Buttercream
Made with just 6 ingredients, this peanut butter caramel buttercream recipe is the perfect combination of savory and sweet! Here is what you will need to make buttercream frosting:
- Confectioners’ (Powdered) Sugar
- Unsalted Butter
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Homemade/Store-Bought Caramel Sauce
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Salt
How to Make Buttercream Frosting
Cream room temperature butter and salt together until light and fluffy in appearance before mixing in the peanut butter and caramel sauce. Next, mix in the confectioners’ sugar. Once sugar is fully incorporated into buttercream, slowly mix in the heavy cream until a thick but pipeable buttercream frosting is achieved.
Assembly and Decoration of Peanut Butter Caramel Filled Cupcakes
- Transfer – peanut butter caramel buttercream into a large pastry bag fitted with a 6B or preferred pastry tip.
- Core – the center out of cooled cupcakes. I used this tool but this treat corer is a good alternative as well.
- Pipe – cut a 1/4 inch off pastry bag filled with peanut butter caramel sauce and pipe into the centers of cored cupcakes. Next, pipe peanut butter caramel buttercream on top of filled cupcakes in a swirl design.
- Drizzle – remaining peanut butter caramel sauce over piped buttercream and sprinkle with finely chopped peanuts.
How to Store Peanut Butter Caramel Filled Cupcakes
- Baked cupcakes (without filling and buttercream) tightly wrapped in plastic wrap will last up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator and 1-3 months in the freezer. When ready to use frozen vanilla cupcakes, simply thaw out in the refrigerator overnight to restore soft texture.
- Peanut butter caramel buttercream stored in an airtight container will last up to 1 week in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer. When ready to use frozen/refrigerated buttercream, simply thaw out at room temperature until soft enough to re-whip to smooth, fluffy consistency.
- Filled and decorated cupcakes stored in an airtight container will last up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Looking For More Scrumptious Eats, Checkout the Links Below:
If you make this recipe, please make sure to let me know by tagging me @nourishedendeavors on Instagram or by leaving a comment in the comment section down below so I can find out how this recipe turned out for you! If you have any questions, ask away! I would love to answer your questions! Happy baking!
PrintPeanut Butter Caramel Cupcakes
These peanut butter caramel filled cupcakes are the perfect combination of soft vanilla cupcakes from scratch filled with a flavorful peanut butter caramel filling and topped with the most creamy peanut butter caramel buttercream. For an extra pop of peanut butter caramel flavor, cupcakes are finished with a drizzle of peanut butter caramel sauce and a sprinkling of finely chopped roasted peanuts!
- Prep Time: 1 Hour
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 Cupcakes 1x
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 Cups (188 g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, Spooned and Leveled
- 1 1/4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs, Room Temperature
- 1/2 Cup (120 ml) Milk of Choice, Room Temperature
- 1/4 Cup (2 oz) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) Neutral Flavored Oil i.e. Vegetable Oil
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Apple Cider/White Vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce
- 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons (108 g) Homemade/Store-Bought Caramel Sauce
- 1/4 Cup (64 g) Creamy Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter Caramel Buttercream
- 2 1/2 – 3 Cups (275–330 g) Confectioners’ (Powdered) Sugar, Sifted
- 1 Cup (8 oz) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature, Slightly Firm to Touch
- 3/4 Cup (192 g) Creamy Peanut Butter, Room Temperature
- 1/4 Cup(72 g) Homemade/Store-Bought Caramel Sauce, Room Temperature
- 1–2 Tablespoons (15–30 ml) Heavy Whipping Cream, Room Temperature
- ½ – 1 Teaspoon Salt, Depending of Taste Preference
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Assembly
- 3–4 Tablespoons (1.5–2 oz) Whole Roasted Peanuts, Finely Chopped
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 325F (165C). Fill a 12-count cupcake baking pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk ingredients together to combine. In a small mixing bowl/measuring cup, add the milk and vinegar and whisk to combine.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or with a hand-held electric mixer and large mixing bowl, cream the butter, oil and sugar together until mixture appears thick and fluffy in appearance, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat the eggs into creamed butter mixture one at a time allowing the initial egg to be fully incorporated before mixing in the next egg. Next, mix in the vanilla extract into wet batter.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. In an alternating fashion, starting and ending with the flour mixture, mix half of the flour mixture into wet batter, followed by all of the milk-vinegar mixture and ending with the remaining flour mixture.
- Stop mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and base of mixing bowl. At medium speed, mix cupcake batter for an additional 30-60 seconds to ensure you have a smooth batter.
- Evenly scoop cupcake batter into prepared cupcake pan and bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through bake time. Cupcakes are ready when a toothpick inserted into one of them comes out clean.
- Cool cupcakes in baking pan for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce
- In a small, heat-safe mixing bowl, add the caramel sauce and peanut butter. Whisk to combine. Heat up peanut butter caramel mixture in the microwave on high for 10-15 seconds to loosen up sauce into a pourable but not too runny consistency.
- Transfer 3/4 of peanut butter caramel sauce into a large pastry bag. Set aside until ready to use. Reserve the remaining 1/4 of sauce for drizzling over piped buttercream.
Peanut Butter Caramel Buttercream
- In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, cream the butter and salt together at medium high speed until mixture is smooth and fluffy in appearance, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix the peanut butter and caramel sauce into creamed butter at medium speed until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and mix in 2 1/2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar into peanut butter caramel mixture. Gradually increase mixer speed back to medium.
- Once all of the sugar has been incorporated into peanut butter caramel mixture, mix in the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream into peanut butter caramel buttercream.
- If buttercream appears to be on the soft side, mix in the remaining confectioners’ sugar 1/4 cup at a time until a thick but pipeable consistency is reached. If buttercream appears too thick, mix in remaining heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency (thick but pipeable) is reached.
- Increase mixer speed to medium high and mix peanut butter caramel buttercream for an additional 30-60 seconds. The resulting buttercream should be smooth and fluffy in appearance.
Assembly
- Transfer peanut butter caramel buttercream into a large pastry bag fitted with a 6B or preferred pastry tip.
- Core the center out of cooled cupcakes, about 1 inch. Take care to not core all the way to the bottom of cupcakes. I used this tool but this treat corer is a good alternative as well.
- Cut a 1/4 inch off pastry bag filled with peanut butter caramel sauce and pipe filling into the centers of cored cupcakes.
- Next, pipe peanut butter caramel buttercream on top of filled cupcakes in a swirl or preferred design.
- Drizzle remaining peanut butter caramel sauce over piped buttercream and sprinkle with finely chopped peanuts. (If peanut butter caramel sauce thickened up and is no longer pourable, simply re-warm in the microwave on high for 5-10 seconds.)
Notes
- Peanut butter caramel filled cupcakes stored in an airtight container will last up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Baked cupcakes (without filling and buttercream) tightly wrapped in plastic wrap will last up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator and 1-3 months in the freezer. When ready to use frozen vanilla cupcakes, simply thaw out in the refrigerator overnight to restore soft texture.
- Peanut butter caramel buttercream stored in an airtight container will last up to 1 week in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer. When ready to use frozen/refrigerated buttercream, simply thaw out at room temperature until soft enough to re-whip to smooth, fluffy consistency.
- For evenly shaped cupcakes, I recommend using a large cookie/ice cream scoop to divide cupcake batter into baking pan.
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