Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I make these cupcakes whenever I want a dessert that tastes like a candy bar in cake form. The chocolate cake is tender and deeply flavored, the caramel center stays soft and gooey, and the peanut butter frosting adds a creamy, salty-sweet layer that ties it all together. Chopped Snickers on top give you the nougat, peanut, and caramel crunch in every bite. They look impressive, they’re a hit at parties and bake sales, and the cake batter comes together in one bowl with no mixer needed.
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes
- 190 g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
- 50 g (½ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 180 ml (¾ cup) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 120 ml (½ cup) vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 ml (½ cup) hot coffee or hot water
For the caramel filling
- 120 g (½ cup) thick caramel sauce or dulce de leche
- 40 g (¼ cup) finely chopped salted peanuts
For the peanut butter frosting
- 170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 130 g (½ cup) creamy peanut butter
- 300 g (2½ cups) icing (powdered) sugar
- 2 to 3 tbsp milk or cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
For topping
- 3 full-size Snickers bars (or about 150 g fun-size), chopped
- Extra caramel sauce, for drizzling
- 50 g (¼ cup) melted dark chocolate, for drizzling
Directions
- Heat the oven. Preheat to 175°C (155°C fan / 350°F) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until no lumps remain.
- Add the wet ingredients. Whisk in the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the coffee. Slowly stir in the hot coffee. The batter will be thin, which is what makes the cupcakes so moist.
- Fill the liners. Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool. Let the cupcakes rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Prepare the filling. Stir the chopped peanuts into the caramel sauce. If it’s too runny, chill it for 10 minutes to thicken.
- Core the cupcakes. Use a small knife or an apple corer to cut a cone-shaped hole, about 2.5 cm (1 in) deep, from the center of each cupcake. Spoon in the caramel filling, then trim the cake tops back on if needed.
- Make the frosting. Beat the butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes until creamy. Add the icing sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, vanilla, and salt, then beat for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy, adding more milk if needed.
- Frost. Pipe or spread the frosting over the filled cupcakes.
- Top and finish. Sprinkle with the chopped Snickers, then drizzle with caramel and melted chocolate. Serve right away or chill to set.
Servings and Timing
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Bake time: 18 to 20 minutes
- Cooling time: 45 minutes
- Filling and frosting: 25 minutes
- Total time: about 2 hours
Variations
- Mini cupcakes: Use a mini muffin tin and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, which makes about 36.
- Chocolate frosting: Swap the peanut butter frosting for a rich chocolate buttercream.
- Salted caramel: Add ½ tsp flaky sea salt to the caramel filling and sprinkle more over the top.
- Nut-free version: Replace the peanut butter with cookie butter and omit the peanuts.
- Stuffed with candy: Press a fun-size Snickers into the center of each cupcake before baking for an extra-gooey surprise.
- Layer cake: Bake the batter in two 20 cm (8 in) round pans for 28 to 32 minutes and fill and frost as a Snickers cake.
Storage and Reheating
Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, since the frosting and caramel are best kept cool. Let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving so the cake softens and the frosting becomes creamy. Unfrosted, unfilled cupcakes freeze well for up to 3 months. Wrap them individually, thaw at room temperature, then fill and frost. I don’t recommend freezing the finished cupcakes, as the toppings can turn sticky. No reheating is needed, though 8 seconds in the microwave makes an unfrosted cupcake warm and soft.
FAQs
Why is my cupcake batter so thin?
That’s normal. The hot coffee thins the batter and gives the cupcakes a moist, tender crumb.
Will I taste the coffee?
No. It just deepens the chocolate flavor. You can use hot water if you prefer.
Why did my caramel filling sink or leak?
The caramel was probably too thin. Use a thick caramel or dulce de leche, and don’t overfill the centers.
Can I use homemade caramel?
Yes. Just make sure it’s completely cooled and thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon.
Can I make these ahead?
Yes. Bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store them airtight, then fill and frost on the day you serve them.
How do I keep the chopped Snickers from sinking into the frosting?
Chill the candy for 15 minutes before chopping, and sprinkle it on right before serving.
Conclusion
These Snickers cupcakes are one of my favorite ways to turn a candy bar into a showstopper dessert. They’re rich, gooey, and full of chocolate, caramel, and peanut flavor, and they disappear fast at any gathering. I hope they become a favorite treat in your kitchen, too.
Print
Rich chocolate cupcakes filled with gooey caramel and crunchy peanuts, topped with fluffy peanut butter frosting, a drizzle of salted caramel, and chopped Snickers bars. Every bite tastes like the candy bar, making these the ultimate treat for parties, birthdays, and chocolate lovers.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
- Category: undefined
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- For the cupcakes: 1 1/4 cups (155 g) all-purpose flour
- For the cupcakes: 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- For the cupcakes: 1/2 cup (45 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- For the cupcakes: 1 tsp baking soda
- For the cupcakes: 1/2 tsp baking powder
- For the cupcakes: 1/2 tsp salt
- For the cupcakes: 1 large egg, at room temperature
- For the cupcakes: 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- For the cupcakes: 1/2 cup (120 ml) hot coffee or hot water
- For the cupcakes: 1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
- For the cupcakes: 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the filling: 1/2 cup (120 ml) thick caramel sauce or dulce de leche
- For the filling: 1/3 cup (50 g) finely chopped salted peanuts
- For the peanut butter frosting: 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- For the peanut butter frosting: 3/4 cup (190 g) creamy peanut butter
- For the peanut butter frosting: 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- For the peanut butter frosting: 2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 ml) heavy cream
- For the peanut butter frosting: 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the peanut butter frosting: 1/4 tsp salt
- For the topping: 1/4 cup (60 ml) caramel sauce, for drizzling
- For the topping: 4 fun-size or 2 regular Snickers bars, chopped
- For the topping: flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla and whisk until combined, then slowly stir in the hot coffee until the batter is smooth and thin.
- Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Mix the caramel sauce with the chopped peanuts for the filling.
- Use a small knife or an apple corer to cut a 1-inch-wide, 1-inch-deep cone from the center of each cooled cupcake. Fill each hole with a spoonful of the caramel peanut mixture.
- For the frosting, beat the butter and peanut butter on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until creamy and light.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat on low until combined, then add the cream a tablespoon at a time and beat on high for 2 minutes, until fluffy.
- Pipe or spread the frosting over the filled cupcakes.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce, sprinkle with chopped Snickers and flaky sea salt, and serve.
Notes
- The batter is thin by design; it bakes up moist and tender.
- Use a thick caramel or dulce de leche for the filling so it does not soak into the cake.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before filling and frosting, or the frosting will melt.
- Chill the chopped Snickers for 10 minutes before topping to keep them from smearing.
- Do not substitute natural peanut butter in the frosting, as it can make the frosting greasy.
- Store frosted cupcakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
- Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 46 g
- Sodium: 290 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
