Pin It!

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cupcakes

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details

These Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cupcakes are a moist vanilla cupcakes filled with marshmallow crème, topped with a fluffy peanut butter marshmallow frosting, and sprinkled with crushed peanuts. They’re the perfect combination of sweet and salty!

This post is sponsored by the National Peanut Board. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Marshmallow Filled Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Are you team salty or sweet? How about a combination of both? This recipe for Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cupcakes hits on a core childhood memory for me. Who has ever had peanut butter and fluff sandwiches? They were basically a staple in my elementary school life.

This recipe starts with my simple vanilla cupcakes. Its texture is more similar to that of a spongecake—slightly dense and so deliciously moist. The cupcakes are cored and filled with marshmallow crème, then topped with a frosting made with peanut butter and marshmallow crème inspired by my Peanut Butter Frosting.

Peanut butter is a staple in my pantry. It’s a super versatile ingredient and an easy way for me to incorporate some protein into my diet. No matter how you partake in peanut butter, you get eight powerful grams of protein, two grams of filling fiber, and 12 grams of unsaturated fat in each two-tablespoon serving. And that applies to peanut butter desserts too!

side view of a cupcake showing a marshmallow filling.

Key Ingredients

  • Oil – Make sure you use a neutral-flavored oil such as vegetable oil.
  • Sour Cream – Full-fat or light sour cream will work.
  • Milk – I use nonfat milk, but whatever you have on hand will work.
  • Peanut Butter – I recommend a creamy, processed peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. More natural peanut butters tend to be more runny and oily.
  • Marshmallow Crème – You’ll use marshmallow crème to fill the cupcakes and to flavor the frosting. If you don’t want to use marshmallow crème, you can swap it out for marshmallow frosting—for the filling or the topping!
  • Optional Fillings and Toppings – Optionally, give your cupcakes some extra sweetness by filling them with marshmallow creme. You can also add some extra nutty crunch by topping them off with crushed peanuts. I recommend either lightly salted or unsalted. Salted can be a little overpowering.

How to Make Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cupcakes

Make the Cupcakes

  1. Mix the wet ingredients: In a bowl, mix together sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until well-incorporated, then mix in the sour cream.
  2. Add the dry ingredients and milk: In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Add half the dry ingredients and half the milk to the wet batter, mix, and repeat.
  3. Portion and bake: Use a large cookie scoop to divide the batter evenly in a lined cupcake pan. Fill each liner 2/3 full. Bake at 350ºF until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool completely.

Make the Frosting

  1. Cut the butter into pieces, then use the paddle attachment on your mixer to whip until fluffy.
  2. Add the peanut butter and mix until it’s well combined.
  3. Add the powdered sugar, a couple of cups at a time together with the liquid ingredients, heavy cream, and vanilla.
  4. Finally, mix in the marshmallow crème and beat until well incorporated. Transfer to a large piping with an open round piping tip.

Fill and Frost

  • Fill the cupcakes: Use a cupcake corer to remove the top half of the center of your cupcakes and fill a piping bag with marshmallow crème. Fill the centers of the cupcakes with the marshmallow, then place the tops of the centers back over the filling, gently pressing them down.
  • Frost and serve: Pipe the filled cupcakes with frosting, and garnish with chopped peanuts. You can roll the edges in chopped peanuts. To do this, hold the cupcake in one hand and fill your other hand with peanuts. Gently press the peanuts into the sides of the frosting.
closeup of marshmallow cupcakes in a cupcake pan.

Frequently Asked Questions & Tips

  • What’s the best type of peanut butter to use? I recommend a creamy, processed peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. More natural peanut butters tend to be more runny and oily. Any no-stir type peanut butters should also work.
  • How can I remove the center of the cupcake? If you don’t have a cupcake corer, try using a knife to cut out a divot in the cupcake.
  • Core only the top half of the cupcake. We don’t want it to be cored all the way through or the filling will just fall out the other side.
  • What type of marshmallow créme do you use? I tend to use Jet-Puffed, but marshmallow fluff will also work.
  • Can I use homemade marshmallow créme? This has not been tested, so I can’t make a recommendation.
a cupcake with marshmallow filling with a bite taken out.

How to Store

Frosted and filled cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. These are best served at room temperature, so remove them from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to serving.

Can I Freeze These?

I recommend freezing the unfrosted cupcakes themselves, and then when you’re ready to prepare, thaw to room temperature, then fill and frost.

 

Print
closeup side view of a vanilla cupcake topped with frosting and crushed peanuts.

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cupcakes

  • Author: Julianne Dell
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 24 cupcakes

Description

These Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cupcakes are a moist vanilla cupcake filled with marshmallow crème, topped with a fluffy peanut butter marshmallow frosting, and sprinkled with crushed peanuts. They’re the perfect combination of sweet and salty!

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • 2 cups (380g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) vanilla extract
  • ½ cup(118 ml) light sour cream
  • 2 ½ cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons (11.2 g) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
  • 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) milk (I use nonfat)

For the frosting: 

  • 1 ½ cups (339g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (264g) creamy peanut butter
  • 5 ½ cups (715g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1  7-ounce jar marshmallow crème

Optional fillings and toppings:

  • 2  7-ounce jars marshmallow crème
  • 2 cups chopped peanuts (light salted or unsalted)

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until the eggs and oil are well incorporated and the batter is lighter in color, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Next mix in the sour cream and beat until well combined.
  3. In a separate bowl combine the remaining dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt. Add half the dry ingredients, and half of the milk and mix just until the flour starts to incorporate. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir the batter from the bottom to the top to ensure it’s well mixed.
  4. Using a large cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly, filling each liner 2/3 full.
  5. Bake at 350°F for 14-16 minutes. Test the cupcakes for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. Cool Completely.

For the frosting:

  1. Cut the butter into tablespoon-sized pieces. Using the paddle attachment, whip butter for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally. Beat until the butter looks light in color. Next, beat the peanut butter until well mixed.
  2. Slowly add the powdered sugar, 2 cups at a time, adding the heavy cream and vanilla intermittently, mixing on low speed until it’s incorporated into the butter. Then increase the speed to high and beat for 30-60 seconds. Repeat until all your powdered sugar has been added.
  3. Lastly, add the marshmallow crème and beat until it’s well incorporated. 

To assemble:

  1. Remove the centers using a cupcake corer. Save the tops of the cupcakes to the side.
  2. Fill a large piping bag with marshmallow crème and use the piping bag to fill the centers of the cupcakes. Gently push the top of the cupcake back on top of the filling and frost. 
  3. Add the frosting first, using a large piping bag fitted with a large open round piping tip to decorate, then roll in peanuts. Chop the peanuts into small pieces. Hold the cupcake in one hand and fill your other hand with peanuts. Gently press the peanuts into the sides of the frosting. 

Notes

  • Peanut Butter: I recommend a creamy, processed peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. More natural peanut butter tends to be more runny and oily. Any no-stir type peanut butters should also work.
  • Marshmallow créme: I use Jet-Puffed, but Marshmallow Fluff should also work
  • Sour cream substitute: Use plain or Greek yogurt. 

Storing:

  • Frosted and filled cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. These are best served at room temperature, so remove them from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to serving.

 

Nutrition Information:
1 cupcake
601
57g
186mg
29g
80g
2g
8.5g
57mg
  • Category: Cupcakes
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Head here for even more delicious peanut butter recipes for every occasion

Following along with the National Peanut Board Social
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

More Peanut Butter Desserts You’ll Love

5 BAKE FROM SCRATCH SECRETS!
Subscribe to my newsletter and get my fav tips to take your cakes & cupcakes to the next level.