The BEST Peanut Butter Frosting
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This is the BEST peanut butter frosting recipe if I do say so myself. Creamy and fluffy. The perfect buttercream frosting for a cupcake or cake!
So I’m back with another frosting recipe! I’ve been declaring every friday now as “Frosting Friday”. Because let’s face it a cupcake or cake is only as good as the frosting on top I believe.
I’ve shared with you a cake batter frosting (you will feel like a kid again when you eat this!), and this easy 2-ingredient whipped ganache frosting.
But today I’m sharing with you a peanut butter frosting recipe. I’ve made this frosting before countless times but never have given it, it’s very own spot on the blog. And it deserves it. Because I can (and have unapologetically so) eaten it with a big old spoon. Cupcake optional.
Ingredients Needed
- Confectioners sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla
- Peanut butter
How To Make This Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
This peanut butter frosting is a riff on the best buttercream frosting recipe ever. You want to start by creaming your softened butter in your mixer bowl.
Then once the butter has had a chance to work itself around the bowl then add in your powdered sugar. This frosting will get whipped for such a long time that there is no need to sift.
Pro Tip: Add your powdered sugar a 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer stopped. Then mix on low speed at first so you don’t end up with a blizzard of sugar in your kitchen.
Once you have added all your powdered sugar, then add in your heavy cream and vanilla extract.
Now it’s time for the good stuff. A whole cup of peanut butter.
Then you want to mix the peanut butter buttercream frosting recipe for 8 minutes. This tip comes from the original recipe from Cook’s Illustrated. And what you get is the fluffiest, creamiest frosting in the end.
Pro Tip: If you are icing a cake and there is too many air bubbles. Just give it a mix with a spatula or wooden spoon to get rid of some of the air bubbles before you frost the cake. I got this tip from Lindsay over at her blog, Life Love And Sugar.
Tips For Making This Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
- Soften Your Butter: Make sure your butter is softened before you start. You can soften your butter quickly 3 different ways.
- Use Unsalted Butter: Be sure to use unsalted butter. Different brands have different amounts of salt. So it’s best to use unsalted butter then add a pinch of salt to your own tasting.
- Use A Towel: Wrap a towel around the top of your mixer so you don’t end up with powdered sugar blizzard everywhere. You can also use a damp paper towel.
- Do Not Use Natural Peanut Butter- The natural peanut butter,you know the kind you need to stir before you use it. I think the oil would not make for a good buttercream. I haven’t tried it but I don’t see that ending up well!
- Rewhip If Necessary. If you don’t use the buttercream right away and store the buttercream you will need to rewhip it again to the same fluffy consistency before using it on a cake.
Recipe FAQ’s
This frosting makes about 2 1/2 cups.
For Cupcakes – This recipe will generously frost 12 cupcakes. I like to pipe a pretty tall amount of frosting on each cupcake. So if you don’t use as much as I do as in the photos, then you might get more frosted (around 24 cupcakes). For help on decorating cupcakes, be sure to check out my The Ultimate Guide To Baking Cupcakes At Home and The Ultimate Guide To Making The Best Buttercream Icing.
For Cake – This frosting will cover a 9 x 13 sheet cake or a 2 layer 8-inch or 9-inch cake.
This frosting will be safe at room temperature for up to 2 days. Any longer than that and I recommend you refrigerate the buttercream frosting up to 5 days. You will need to re-whip the frosting again if it’s been refrigerated to bring it back to a spreadable consistency. You can read more here about How To Store Leftover Buttercream.
The buttercream frosting can also be frozen up to 3 months. When ready to use, let it thaw overnight in the fridge, and then rewhip again before using.
More Recipes To Try
Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks, 283 grams) unsalted butter softened (2 1/2 sticks, 20 Tbs.)
- 2 1/2 cups (283 grams) powdered sugar (confectioners or icing sugar)
- 2 Tbs. heavy cream
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup (270 grams) peanut butter
Instructions
- Add the butter to your mixing bowl and cream until light and fluffy about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, with the mixer off at first. Then mix on low speed until combined.
- Add in your heavy cream and vanilla extract, and mix on medium to high speed until incorporated.
- Add in the peanut butter then mix for 8 minutes until light and creamy. If not using immediately, store in a container in the refrigerator for 5 days until ready to use, mix again until light and fluffy.
Notes
- Soften Your Butter: Make sure your butter is softened before you start. You can soften your butter quickly 3 different ways.
- Use Unsalted Butter: Be sure to use unsalted butter. Different brands have different amounts of salt. So it’s best to use unsalted butter then add a pinch of salt to your own tasting.
- Use A Towel: Wrap a towel around the top of your mixer so you don’t end up with powdered sugar blizzard everywhere. You can also use a damp paper towel.
- Do Not Use Natural Peanut Butter- The natural peanut butter,you know the kind you need to stir before you use it. I think the oil would not make for a good buttercream. I haven’t tried it but I don’t see that ending up well!
- Rewhip If Necessary. If you don’t use the buttercream right away and store the buttercream you will need to rewhip it again to the same fluffy consistency before using it on a cake.
My new favorite frosting!! I thought only dark chocolate was good enough for chocolate cupcakes, but this fluffy, light frosting is my new go-to. Plus, it doesn’t need to be cooked or cooked, so it’s ready to go from the mixer to the cupcakes!
Thanks Barbara glad you loved it as much as I do 🙂