Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

peanut butter and jelly cupcakes

(1 rating)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Susan Bartley
Beaverton, OR

Everybody loves peanut butter and jelly. Now combine these flavors in a cupcake and you've got a hit! I have also make this recipe as a 8" cake, using a bit more filling to fill the inside layers, than icing with the peanut butter icing. Young and old alike love the marriage of peanut butter and jelly. I use strawberry or raspberry most of the time, but really any flavor will work. Happy baking!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

If you and your family are peanut butter & jelly fans, you will love these cupcakes. The cupcake itself is very dense but moist, and the perfect vessel for the jelly. Be careful the jelly oozes out... but it's so good. Susan's frosting is sweet, creamy, and the perfect finishing touch. We used strawberry jam, but get creative and use your favorite.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(1 rating)
yield serving(s)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For peanut butter and jelly cupcakes

  • 1 box
    yellow cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines)
  • 3 lg
    eggs
  • 3/4 c
    buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk regular milk is okay)
  • 1 c
    peanut butter, creamy
  • 3/4 c
    strawberry or raspberry jam or filling (or your favorite flavor of jam)
  • PEANUT BUTTER ICING
  • 1 c
    butter room temp (2 sticks)
  • 1/2 c
    shortening (preferably high ratio such as Sweetex)
  • 3/4 c
    peanut butter, creamy
  • 1 lb
    powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 tsp
    pure vanilla extract
  • 4 Tbsp
    half and half or cream for thinning
  • 1 Tbsp
    meringue powder (prefered but optional)

How To Make peanut butter and jelly cupcakes

Test Kitchen Tips
We added mini peanut butter cookies for decorations, but a little extra jam drizzled on top would be delicious too!
  • 1
    Preheat oven to 350 and line cupcake tins with cupcake papers. This recipe makes 24 so you'll need 2 tins.
  • 2
    Combine first 4 ingredients in mixing bowl, beat on low for 1 minute to combine ingredients, then beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Batter will be thick.
  • 3
    Now fill cupcake papers approx. 2/3 full, I use a 2-inch cookie scoop level full so I get nice uniform sized cupcakes.
  • 4
    Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until light brown and tops spring back when tapped.
  • 5
    Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  • 6
    Using a small knife, make a 1/2" wide circle cut going about 3/4" into the center of the cupcake.
  • 7
    Remove the cake from that opening. (Wilton also makes a small tool for removing the center that is quick and easy to use.)
  • 8
    Repeat on all cupcakes.
  • 9
    Fill a disposible pastry bag or a Ziploc with jam or filling. Cut the tip off leaving a 1/4 inch opening.
  • 10
    Now fill each opening on the top of the cupcakes with the jam, filling just to the top of the cupcake, do not over fill. Set aside and make your icing.
  • 11
    In mixing bowl combine butter, shortening and peanut butter, using flat paddle mix ingredients together until well blended and smooth.
  • 12
    Now add sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder (if you're using it) and blend in on low speed until it's incorporated. Add vanilla and half and half, one tablespoon at a time, just until icing is creamy and spreadable. If you need more than 4 tablespoons go ahead and add more, but I find 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) is perfect. Beat on medium speed for 10 minutes to get a nice creamy icing.
  • 13
    Ice filled cupcakes using either a pastry bag or a knife. Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge. Remove from fridge and let sit for a half hour or so before serving. Now just enjoy!
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