Harvest Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Name: Harvest Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 box chocolate fudge cake mix; 3 large eggs; 1 1/4 C whole milk; ½ C unsalted sweet cream butter (softened); 1 C unsalted sweet cream butter (softened); 1 C creamy peanut butter; 2 C powdered sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream; 2 - 8 oz package of Sweet Tooth Fairy Forever Fall Sprinkle Mix (Found; at Michaels); 12 reese peanut butter cups (cut in half); 1 medium ice cream scooper; 1 large piping bag with a star tip

When fall rolls around, I’m always looking for easy desserts that feel festive without requiring hours in the kitchen. These Harvest Cupcakes are exactly that. Rich chocolate cupcakes are topped with fluffy peanut butter frosting, coated in colorful fall sprinkles, and finished with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

Chocolate and peanut butter are already a winning combination, but the fall sprinkles turn these simple cupcakes into an adorable autumn treat. They’re perfect for Halloween parties, Thanksgiving dessert tables, school events, fall birthdays, or just a fun weekend baking project.

And because this recipe starts with a boxed chocolate cake mix, they’re surprisingly easy to make!

Why You’ll Love These Harvest Cupcakes

These cupcakes look impressive but don’t require complicated decorating skills. The thick layer of peanut butter frosting and fall sprinkles does most of the work for you.

They’re:

Easy to make with boxed cake mix
Loaded with chocolate and peanut butter flavor
Perfect for fall parties
Easy to decorate
Kid-friendly
Great for Halloween or Thanksgiving
Topped with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

You can also change the sprinkles to match different occasions, making this a recipe you can use throughout the year.

Harvest Cupcake Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

You’ll need:

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
3 large eggs
1¼ cups whole milk
½ cup unsalted sweet cream butter, softened

Using milk and butter instead of simply preparing the cake mix according to the package directions gives these cupcakes a richer, more homemade flavor.

Peanut Butter Frosting

You’ll need:

1 cup unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

For Decorating

2 (8-ounce) packages fall sprinkle mix
12 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, cut in half
Medium ice cream scoop
Large piping bag
Large star piping tip

Note: The original recipe uses Sweet Tooth Fairy Forever Fall Sprinkle Mix from Michaels. If you can’t find that exact mix, any combination of orange, yellow, brown, gold, and red fall sprinkles will work.

How to Make Harvest Cupcakes

Step 1: Prepare Your Cupcake Pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line a standard cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

Step 2: Make the Chocolate Cupcake Batter

Add the chocolate fudge cake mix, eggs, whole milk, and softened butter to a large mixing bowl.

Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients together until they’re completely combined and the batter is smooth.

Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl so there are no pockets of dry cake mix remaining.

Step 3: Fill the Cupcake Liners

Divide the chocolate cake batter between your prepared cupcake liners, filling each approximately ¾ full.

An ice cream or cookie scoop can make this much easier and help ensure all of your cupcakes are roughly the same size.

Step 4: Bake

Bake the cupcakes for approximately 18–21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan briefly before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating.

If they’re still warm, that gorgeous peanut butter frosting will start to melt.

How to Make Peanut Butter Frosting

While your cupcakes are cooling, you can prepare the frosting.

Add the softened butter and creamy peanut butter to the bowl of a stand mixer.

Beat until smooth and creamy.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla extract and heavy whipping cream.

Continue beating until the peanut butter frosting is light, smooth, and fluffy.

If the frosting seems too thick, add a tiny amount of additional heavy cream. If it’s too soft, add a little more powdered sugar.

Prepare the Cupcakes for Decorating

Scoop approximately 1 cup of peanut butter frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Set it aside for the final decoration.

Pour your fall sprinkles into a shallow bowl.

Now you’re ready for the fun part!

How to Decorate Harvest Cupcakes

Using a medium ice cream scoop, place a generous scoop of peanut butter frosting on top of each cooled chocolate cupcake.

Gently smooth and shape the frosting into a thick, rounded disk or mound.

Carefully press or roll the frosted portion of the cupcake into the bowl of fall sprinkles until the frosting is generously coated.

Using the reserved piping bag, pipe a small decorative dollop of peanut butter frosting onto the center of each cupcake.

Finish by pressing half of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup into the frosting.

Your harvest cupcakes are ready to serve!

Make Them Extra Festive

One of the best things about these cupcakes is how easy they are to customize.

For a Halloween version, use orange, black, purple, and green sprinkles. For Thanksgiving, look for combinations of orange, gold, brown, and burgundy.

You could also top the cupcakes with mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups instead of cutting full-size cups in half.

For an especially cute harvest dessert table, arrange the finished cupcakes on a wooden serving board surrounded by mini pumpkins and faux fall leaves.

Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Frosting

Use traditional creamy peanut butter. Natural peanut butter can separate and may make your frosting oily or too soft.

Use softened butter. Your butter should be soft enough to mix easily but shouldn’t be melted.

Add the cream gradually. You want the frosting thick enough to hold its shape because you’ll be coating it in sprinkles.

Wait until the cupcakes are completely cool. Even slightly warm cupcakes can soften your frosting.

Don’t skimp on the sprinkles. These are harvest cupcakes—the colorful fall coating is what gives them their fun seasonal appearance.

Can I Make Harvest Cupcakes Ahead of Time?

Yes! These are a great make-ahead party dessert.

Bake the chocolate cupcakes a day ahead and store them in an airtight container once they’ve completely cooled.

You can also prepare the peanut butter frosting ahead of time and keep it refrigerated. Let it soften slightly at room temperature and whip it again before decorating.

For the prettiest presentation, I recommend decorating the cupcakes the day you plan to serve them.

How to Store Harvest Cupcakes

Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container. They’ll keep for approximately 2–3 days at room temperature in a cool room.

You can also refrigerate them to extend their freshness. If refrigerated, let the cupcakes sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes before serving so the cake and peanut butter frosting can soften.

The Perfect Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes for Fall

There is something about chocolate and peanut butter that never disappoints, and these Harvest Cupcakes turn that classic combination into an adorable fall dessert.

Between the rich chocolate cupcakes, fluffy peanut butter frosting, crunchy fall sprinkles, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup on top, there’s a little bit of everything in every bite.

Best of all, they look like you spent much longer making them than you actually did.

Whether you’re planning a Halloween party, Thanksgiving dinner, fall birthday, or cozy autumn get-together, these easy chocolate peanut butter harvest cupcakes are a fun addition to the dessert table.

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