This Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Strawberry Jelly Frosting recipe combines the classic flavors of peanut butter and jelly sandwich in cupcake form! Cupcake batter is mixed with peanut butter and is topped with a homemade strawberry frosting for the perfect afternoon treat.
There’s nothing quite like a comforting peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This flavor has been a childhood favorite for years and years. Who wouldn’t like the smooth and creamy taste of peanut butter mixed with sweet jelly?
This recipe combines those two classic flavors in cupcake form!
The recipe starts with a cupcake batter that is made with simple ingredients that also contain smooth peanut butter.
They are then topped with a homemade strawberry frosting made with sugar, butter, and a touch of strawberry jelly or jam.
You can change up the flavors of the jelly or make them with almond or cashew butter for anyone that is allergic to peanuts!
If you're looking for more ways to use peanut butter, then be sure to try my Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Squares or Vegan Peanut Stew.
This recipe was originally posted on May 4, 2016, and republished with new text and photos on September 15, 2021.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
It combines the classic flavors of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
They make a great after-school treat for kids.
If you’re allergic to peanuts, you can swap out the peanut butter with almond or cashew butter. Or try Walnut Butter.
Use any flavor of fruit jelly or jam you enjoy!
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- Smooth Peanut Butter - Gives the cupcakes a dense and moist texture with a peanut butter flavor.
- Unsalted Butter - Helps make the batter dense and buttery.
- Caster Sugar - Sweetens the cupcake batter.
- Eggs - Helps to bind and set the cupcakes when baking.
- Vanilla Extract - Infuses the cupcakes with a light vanilla flavor.
- Milk - Thins out the batter while keeping it nice and creamy.
- All-Purpose Flour (plain flour) - The dry base for the muffins helps everything form and bake properly.
- Baking Powder - Gives the cupcakes a slight fluffy rise.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor and helps the baking powder activate.
For the Strawberry Jelly Frosting:
- Strawberry Jelly - Gives the frosting its strawberry flavor and pink color. If you only have jam, you can press it through a sieve so there are no chunks.
- Butter - Adds a dense buttery texture to the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar - Gives the frosting additional sweet flavor.
- Red Food Coloring - Although optional, red food coloring adds a bright pop of red color to the frosting.
Step By Step Tutorial
Wondering how to make this peanut butter cupcakes recipe?
Follow this step by step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Grease a muffin pan with cooking spray or line it with muffin liners. Set aside.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- Smooth Peanut Butter - Gives the cupcakes a dense and moist texture with a peanut butter flavor.
- Unsalted Butter - Helps make the batter dense and buttery.
- Caster Sugar - Sweetens the cupcake batter.
- Eggs - Helps to bind and set the cupcakes when baking.
- Vanilla Extract - Infuses the cupcakes with a light vanilla flavor.
- Milk - Thins out the batter while keeping it nice and creamy.
- All-Purpose Flour - The dry base for the muffins helps everything form and bake properly.
- Baking Powder - Gives the cupcakes a slight fluffy rise.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor and helps the baking powder activate.
Strawberry Jelly Frosting:
- Strawberry Jelly - Gives the frosting its strawberry flavor and pink color.
- Unsalted Butter - Adds a dense buttery texture to the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar - Gives the frosting additional sweet flavor.
- Red Food Coloring - Although optional, red food coloring adds a bright pop of red color to the frosting.
Step By Step Tutorial
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Grease a muffin pan with cooking spray or line it with muffin liners. Set aside.
Make the cupcake batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, peanut butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Beat in the vanilla and milk until everything is smooth. Sift in the flour, and gently combine.
Prepare and bake the cupcakes: Evenly distribute the peanut butter cupcake batter into the muffin tins and fill each until ¾ full. Bake for 15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Prepare the strawberry frosting: Beat the butter, sugar, and strawberry jelly with an electric whisk or stand mixer until smooth. If it’s not pink enough, mix in a few drops of red food coloring. Keep in the fridge until ready to frost the cupcakes.
Frost the cupcakes: Add strawberry frosting to a piping bag or plastic bag with the tip cut off and evenly distribute the icing on the cupcakes. You can also do this by hand using a butter knife or spoon.
Tips
You can use strawberry jam or preserves instead of jelly. If using jam or preserves, press the strawberry jam through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any large pieces, collecting the thinner jam in a small bowl. You should have 1 tablespoon of jam in the bowl to use for the frosting.
For more strawberry flavor in the frosting, add a small teaspoonful of strawberry jelly to the cooled cupcakes, then swirl the frosting on top.
The strawberry jelly may or may not produce a color that is a deep pink. You can use red food dye or food coloring to give it a stronger pink color if desired.
When filling the muffin cups, make sure they are filled ⅔ full as any more can cause the muffins to spill over when baking.
Do not overmix the muffin batter as it can decrease the air in the mixture giving the cupcakes a flat texture.
Serving Suggestions
Add a drizzle of Strawberry Syrup to the cupcakes for color and more strawberry flavor.
They make a great after-school snack along with some Mini Apple Pizzas, cut vegetables, and Carrot Hummus.
Bring them to a party along with some Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes or Easy Chocolate Cupcakes.
Variations
Allergic to peanuts? Try using almond butter or cashew butter to replace the peanut butter.
Any jelly or jam can be used for the frosting including grape jelly, blueberry jelly, peach, and apricot jelly. You could even try carrot jam!
Add a touch of cinnamon to the muffin batter for a warming flavor twist.
For a bit of texture and crunch, try using chunky peanut butter.
Make the frosting with a bit of Nutella for a strawberry chocolate hazelnut flavor.
Storage
Storing: To store any leftover cupcakes, add them to an airtight container and set them on the countertop for 3-4 days.
Freezing: If you’d like to freeze these cupcakes, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze overnight until solid. Place them upright in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
More Cupcake Recipes
I hope you love this peanut butter cupcake recipe as much as we do! Be sure to check out some more cupcake recipes.
Check out the Veggie Desserts + Cakes cookbook on Amazon
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📖 Recipe
Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Strawberry Jelly Icing
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (150g) smooth peanut butter
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ⅔ cup (125g) caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (50ml) milk
- 1 ¼ cups (125g) all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the strawberry jelly icing
- 2 tablespoons strawberry jelly (of jam, seived)
- ⅓ cup (75g) butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (200g) powdered icing sugar
To decorate
- Fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease or line a muffin pan.
- Beat the peanut butter, butter and sugar together with an electric whisk or stand mixer for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one, then beat in the vanilla and the milk.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and gently combine.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin cases, ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes or until risen and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes in the tin and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
For the strawberry jelly icing
- Tip: If using jam, press the strawberry jam through a fine mesh sieve to remove any large pieces, collecting the thinner jam in a small bowl. You should have 1 tablespoon of jam in the bowl to use.
- Beat the butter, sugar and strawberry jelly with an electric whisk or stand mixer until smooth. Keep in the fridge until ready to frost the cupcakes. If it’s not very pink, you can beat in a few drops of red food coloring.
Notes
- You can use strawberry jam or preserves instead of jelly.
- If using jam or preserves, press the strawberry jam through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any large pieces, collecting the thinner jam in a small bowl. You should have 1 tablespoon of jam in the bowl to use for the frosting.
- For more strawberry flavor in the frosting, add a small teaspoonful of strawberry jelly to the cooled cupcakes, then swirl the frosting on top.
- The strawberry jelly may or may not produce a color that is a deep pink. You can use red food dye or food coloring to give it a stronger pink color if desired.
- When filling the muffin tins, make sure they are filled ⅔ full as any more can cause the muffins to spill over when baking.
- Do not overmix the muffin batter as it can decrease the air in the mixture giving the cupcakes a flat texture.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Liz
Love the sweet and salty combo of the peanut butter and strawberry! such a fun combination!