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Chocolate Coca-Cola Cupcakes with Salted Peanut Butter Buttercream

16 Comments

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Chocolate Coca-Cola Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting are quick and easy, with intense chocolate and peanut butter flavor.

The title of this post should be enough grab your attention- but if you haven’t already jumped ahead to get started on the recipe, let me tell you these Chocolate Coca-Cola Cupcakes have intense chocolate flavor with a nice, light crumb texture. You really don’t taste the Coca-Cola yet there is a bit of zing from the Coke and that’s also what gives the cupcakes the almost-black color.

Chocolate Coca-Cola Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Butter frosting on a blue plate

These cupcakes whip up in no time, using one bowl for dry ingredients and a sauce pan for everything else. Once combined, the batter is a bit thin but don’t worry, these bake up to an airy, chocolate cake. Paired with the Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting, this is super easy to whip up while the cupcakes are baking.

Close up of one frosted cupcake on a blue plate

And speaking of the frosting! It’s downright dangerous. Go ahead, stare at that cupcake right up there and then tell me your mouth isn’t watering and you don’t imagine the creamiest most peanut buttery-est flavor. The frosting has Butter TWICE in the title! What more do you need to know?

I’ll sit these on the counter and when Dave comes home from work he’ll cut off a quarter of one of the cakes for a quick treat, and slowly (actually not very slowly) the rest of the cupcake disappears as well. And I get in trouble if I try and try to share too many with friends or neighbors. Irresistable.

Three cupcakes on a blue plate

If you want a nice gluten-free option for this recipe, make my Gluten-free Chocolate Cake recipe and top it with the peanut butter buttercream. It is absolutely the best chocolate cake and no one will know it’s GF. Just read the comments on that recipe if you’re unsure.

Top view of four frosted cupcakes with chocolate sprinkles

I made the cupcakes look fancy by piping the Peanut Butter Buttercream using a piping bag and simple star decorator tip, but you can also cut a 1/2-inch snip out of a resealable plastic bag and pipe your cupcakes with that and it’ll be equally as impressive. Sprinkle chopped peanut and some sel gris sea salt or any coarse salt you like. That extra little crunch of salt kind of melts in each bite and intensifies the rest of the flavors. I have to mention the chocolate sprinkles I used for this recipe because if you bake a lot you may already be familiar with Deruyter Chocolate Sprinkles. These are the real deal, made with real chocolate. Shown on the cupcakes are both the milk chocolate and dark chocolate variety.

Quick, easy, pretty and best of all, amazing. Chocolate Coca-Cola Cupcakes with Salted Peanut Butter Buttercream will be a hit at your next get-together. They stay fresh for about three days but they probably won’t stick around for three days. 🙂

Coca Cola Peanut Butter Cupcakes
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5 from 7 votes

Chocolate Coca-Cola Cupcakes with Salted Peanut Butter Frosting

The Coca-Cola in this recipe adds a nice "lift" and light texture. Don't use diet Coke as it adds a funky aftertaste. The cake batter will be thin, but bakes into a tender crumb and deep, dark chocolate brown. The peanut butter buttercream frosting will become a go-to recipe to top many cupcakes, cakes, even cookies!
Course Cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 243
Author Good Dinner Mom

Ingredients 

For the cupcakes

  • 1 cup /240 ml Coca-Cola, Mexican is best if you can find it since it uses regular sugar, not high fructose corn syrup. If you can't find Mexican Coca Cola, just do NOT use diet
  • ½ cup /50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 4 Tablespoons ½ stick/60 g unsalted butter, cut into fours
  • ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons/130 g granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • ¾ cup /110 g all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 large egg

For the Peanut Butter Buttercream:

  • 4 cups /480 g confectioners' sugar
  • 8 ounces 2 sticks/230 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup /260 g natural creamy peanut butter, more is fine for extra peanut flavor
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 to 5 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • Chocolate jimmies or sprinkles
  • Ground salted peanuts
  • Sel gris or coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

Make the cupcakes:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/180C degrees.
  • Line 12 standard cupcake pan wells with cupcake liners.
  • In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup Coca-Cola, ½ cup cocoa powder, ½ stick butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated and ¼ cup brown sugar and whisk until dissolved. Remove the mixture from the heat source and let cool for about 10 minutes.
  • While the Coca-Cola mixture cools, in a medium bowl whisk ¾ cup flour, ½teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt together.
  • In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg until foamy, then whisk into the cooled cocoa mixture. Getnly stir the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. It will be thin and might be a little lumpy, that is fine.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners (note: Since the batter is thin, it might help to pour it into a bowl with a pour spout to help better control your pouring.), fill the liners a generous three-quarters full. Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when pressed in the middle.
  • Transfer to a cooling rack and allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Make the Salted Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting:

  • Combine 4 cups confectioners' sugar, 2 sticks butter, 1 cup peanut butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined, then switch to high speed and beat until light and fluffy.
  • Add 4-5 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream, 1 Tablespoon at a time, and beat until the mixture is lightened and smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with any ½-inch decorator piping tip or use a resealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pip the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.
  • Garnish with jimmies, ground peanuts, and a sprinkling of sel gris (salt).
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Coca-Cola Cupcakes with Salted Peanut Butter Frosting
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 243 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 70mg23%
Sodium 202mg9%
Potassium 23mg1%
Carbohydrates 13g4%
Fiber 0.02g0%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 682IU14%
Vitamin C 0.03mg0%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe adapted from Sea Salt Sweets cookbook.
Chocolate Coca-Cola Cupcakes pinterst pin

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Published on June 22, 2017

Comments

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    Recipe Rating




  1. alyssa day says

    April 22, 2022 at 11:04 AM

    5 stars
    WOW! So good, so moist! I added a cut up mini peanut butter Reeses cup on each cupcake and they got devoured!

    Reply
  2. steph g says

    April 22, 2022 at 11:02 AM

    5 stars
    This is amazing! If you love peanut butter like I do, you will love these cupcake. So moist from the cola and the frosting is probably the best I’ve ever had. Thank you Sally! One of my favorites!

    Reply
  3. trish white says

    April 22, 2022 at 10:56 AM

    5 stars
    Super good!! I used a cherry coke and it was absolutely the moistest cupcakes I have ever had. I like the fact that it doesn’t have oil in it either. Soo yummy!!

    Reply
  4. Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says

    August 23, 2018 at 4:01 PM

    5 stars
    I’m not sure if you had me at salted peanut butter frosting or dark chocolate cupcakes, but I know I want one right now! These look soooo good. I’m not surprised they are irresistible and disappear quickly. Yum!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      August 23, 2018 at 10:05 PM

      Thanks, Annemarie! 😀 This made my night.

      Reply
  5. Nicole Tingwall says

    August 23, 2018 at 2:38 PM

    5 stars
    I’ve used coca cola for meats but never thought to use it in baking! This is genius!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      August 23, 2018 at 10:06 PM

      Hi Nicole, I hope you’ll try some cola in a batch of baking chocolate some time. It really lifts the flavor! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites says

    August 23, 2018 at 2:36 PM

    5 stars
    This is such a neat idea! I’ve never had coke in a dessert before – definitely need to try that! And that icing – perfection!!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      August 23, 2018 at 10:06 PM

      Thanks Lauren! It is a nice surprising note. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Susie says

    August 23, 2018 at 2:23 PM

    5 stars
    I love this recipe!! I just pinned it so I can make it this weekend. I have not baked with Coca-Cola.

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      August 23, 2018 at 2:27 PM

      Hi Susie, thanks for pinning my recipe and I hope you like it. The Coca-cola adds a little “zing” to the cupcakes and intensifies the chocolate flavor.

      Reply
  8. Stephanie says

    August 23, 2018 at 2:16 PM

    5 stars
    Peanut butter & chocolate just belong together! These look so moist & delicious. Would have never thought of adding Coca cola…interesting!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      August 23, 2018 at 2:25 PM

      Hi Stephanie, I agree about chocolate and peanut butter being best friends. The Coca-cola adds a brightness and enhances the chocolate flavor but you don’t really taste coke ;). Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  9. Tilesbay says

    February 14, 2018 at 6:30 PM

    5 stars
    What a creative cupcake twist! Love them. 🙂

    Reply
  10. Marissa says

    July 6, 2017 at 6:51 PM

    What a creative cupcake twist! And you can never go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate – delicious!

    Reply
About Sally - Good Dinner Mom.

About Good Dinner Mom

My name is Sally and I love to be in the kitchen. Making fresh, unique dishes is my way of showing love for family and friends and I hope that here you’ll find recipes of both healthy and indulgent dishes that will inspire you to cook more at home while sharing some love of your own. more about me

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