A silky smooth but perfectly pipeable peanut butter frosting that’s the perfect complement to any cake or cupcake. Also great for just eating by the spoonful!
Maybe you guys haven’t noticed, but I’ve been working on bulking up my “Frostings” section on the blog.
In the past, I would share cake or cupcake recipes and tag on my preferred complementary frosting, but I’m a big believer in choices. Maybe you’d rather frost your funfetti cake with chocolate frosting (or even peanut butter frosting) instead of buttercream, right? Well I wanted to have a good variety of options for you to choose from.
So far I’ve shared my favorites of the following:
- Cream cheese frosting (<—- possibly my favorite frosting of all-time)
- Chocolate frosting
- Vanilla buttercream frosting
And today I’m adding peanut butter frosting to the list.
This recipe is super easy to make, and on Monday I’ll be sharing a very complementary and very dark chocolate cupcake recipe with you, but of course you can put it on whatever you want. You can even just eat it by the spoonful, I know I did.
And yet it remains a mystery to me why my cardio sessions aren’t paying off 😭
Anyway, Peanut Butter Frosting requires just 6 ingredients to make. It’s smooth, creamy, and is great for piping on top of cupcakes or decorating a cake.
Tips for Making Peanut Butter Frosting
- While chunky or creamy peanut butter can work in this peanut butter frosting recipe, I don’t recommend using chunky unless you don’t intend to pipe the frosting. The little peanut pieces will clog up your frosting tips in a second.
- I don’t recommend using natural peanut butter (the kind that separates, you know the one that you usually need to stir before using). I haven’t tried it myself but I’m pretty certain that it wouldn’t work too nicely work with this recipe (it would be too oily).
- This peanut butter frosting pipes very nicely as written. However, for a stiffer frosting, you can add an additional ½-1 cup (65-125g) of powdered sugar.
How Many Cupcakes/How Much Cake Will this Peanut Butter Frosting Cover?
- If you’re generously frosting your cupcakes (as seen in my cupcake photo below), then this frosting will handily cover 12-15 cupcakes. If you’re being a bit more modest, it will cover 24 (I covered 24 cupcakes with peanut butter frosting rosettes using the 1M tip).
- This frosting will also cover a 9×13 sheet cake or a round 2-layer 8″ or 9″ cake. Now I’m just thinking about how I want to make a cake with this frosting and then cover it with ganache… Yum!
Enjoy!
Oh, and do you have any requests for other frosting recipes you’d like to see? I’m currently working on caramel but would love any suggestions that you have!
How to Make Peanut Butter Frosting
Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (245 g) creamy peanut butter
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Combine butter and peanut butter in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until creamy and well-combined.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (245 g) creamy peanut butter
- Gradually (about ⅓ cup at a time), with mixer on low speed add powdered sugar until completely combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so all ingredients are well-combined.3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar
- Stir in vanilla extract and salt.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt
- With mixer on low-speed, add milk and stir until well-combined. Gradually increase speed to high and beat for 30 seconds.2 Tablespoons milk
- Spread or pipe frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes or cake.
Notes
Natural Peanut Butter
Since first sharing the recipe I have now tested this recipe with natural peanut butter and it worked just fine, though was a bit gritty.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Zoe
I put this frosting on a chocolate cake for my mom for mother’s day! I had plenty left over; so I saved it to dip apples into. One of the best pb icings I’ve ever made! I also like putting a hint of coffee in my icing! My mom loved it to!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the frosting so much, Zoe! I love topping off a chocolate cake with this frosting. Such a great combination! 🙂
Michelle
This frosting recipe is dynamite. So easy, so light and airy, as others have said, and sturdy too! It holds it’s shape great. It’s not sickening sweet and tasted amazing with my standard vegan chocolate cupcakes. For fun I also stuck a peanut butter filled Oreo in the middle of the cups. I am going to try to make this with vegan butter spread and/or shortening to see if it will also be amazing.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Michelle! Let me know how it turns out with the substitution. 🙂
Holly
I am soooo not a baker or “sweets lover” for that matter, HOWEVER… this was awesome and so easy to make. It’s so airy and light as a frosting. I wish I had filled the centers of my cupcakes with it as well as I had a lot left over. Tagged you in my insta! 😉
Sam
Thank you so much, Holly! I am glad you enjoyed them! I will make sure to check it out. 🙂
Katie
Sounds delicious! I’m looking for a frosting recipe for cupcakes for my son to take to school for his birthday. Are cupcakes with this frosting okay to leave out for a while (approx 4-6 hours) or should they go in the fridge? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Katie! This frosting will be fine at room temperature for a few days. 🙂
Darlis
Peanut butter frosting! Made this for our friends birthday! My husband licked the beaters and went for a spoon! I only had salted butter so I omitted the salt! Obviously it worked fine! Thanks!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed the frosting, Darlis! At least you didn’t have to clean the beaters! 😂
Kate
I am wondering if you could subsitute anything for the vanilla extract
Sam
Hi Kate! You could just leave it out. The flavor won’t be quite as rich though. 🙂
Linda Hensens
This was incredible! I have been looking for a peanut butter frosting for eons! This fit the bill perfectly! It reminded me if the yellow cake with peanut butter frosting I used to get in elementary school! Thank you so much!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the frosting, Linda! 🙂
Erica
I need to make a dairy free pb frosting. Can I use shortening instead of butter? I generally make my buttercream frosting with shortening but I wasn’t sure how it would combine with the bp
Sam
Hi Erica! I haven’t tried with shortening but don’t think that would be a problem. I would love to hear how it works out for you if you try it!
JOY CARPENETTI
I never rate recipes but this PB Frosting recipe is delicious!! And so easy to make! I had all the ingredients on hand. This will be my go-to frosting from now on! Thanks!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the frosting, Joy! 🙂
Sheila Smith
I have been looking for good scratch recipes to use and I’m so anxious to try yours! I have a question about your frostings tho…. do you sift your powdered sugar?? I’ve always thought that sifting it (after measuring out desired amount) makes lighter, fluffier frosting. Just wondered if you do this and what has been your experience with your frostings?
Sam
Hi Sheila! I don’t typically sift my powdered sugar unless I plan on using a really small tip to pipe the frosting. I have never had lighter, fluffier frosting from sifting the sugar though. Hope that helps! 🙂
Sarah
I can’t wait to try this. I’ve made the chocolate cupcakes and everyone LOVED them. The addition of coffee makes them perfectly moist! What about a cookies and cream frosting?
Thanks for all your amazing recipes!
Sam
Hi Sarah! I am so glad you enjoyed the frosting! At this time I do not have a cookies and cream frosting, but I can put it on my list to make. 🙂
Nicole
My mom grew up in the 50’s and 60’s and we found an old cookbook that her grandparents used to use. She found her favorite chocolate cake, but couldn’t find a peanut butter frosting, so she asked me to try and find one. I found this one and made it. My mom said that this frosting reminds her of her childhood. I’m going to make her a birthday cake from scratch and I’m going to use this frosting. Thank you so much. This made her so happy!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed the frosting, Nicole! 🙂
Jane
Can you store in refrigerator and how long.
Sam
Hi Jane! I think it would last about a week in the refrigerator in an air tight container. It will need to sit at room temperature and be stirred before using after being refrigerated. 🙂
Shirley Lynn Wolf
How about a butterscotch frosting? And the ganache you spoke of with this icing? What is the difference between frostings and ganaches? LOL
Sam
Hi Shirley! I don’t have a butterscotch frosting unfortunately, but I see you found your answer for the ganache. 🙂
Matt Y
simple and delicious this recipe is can’t miss
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Matt!:)
Shirley Lynn Wolf
Best pb frosting yet. Scrumptious delectable smooth creamy icing. Easy recipe to remember though I omitted the milk. Thank you. My 77 year old Mom and I have enjoyed every spoonful…but OH of course we used most to frost a sheet cake. MMMM
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the frosting, Shirley! 🙂