Peanut Butter Frosting

I originally published this Peanut Butter Icing with my Banana Chocolate Chip Cake recipe.

So many of you have made that recipe recently and told me that your favorite part was the peanut butter frosting!!

Since that’s a pretty old cake recipe I knew I had to resurface this peanut butter buttercream so it could have its moment in the spotlight. It truly deserves it.

This recipe basically takes peanut butter – which is already amazing and perfect – and makes it even richer yet lighter with the perfect amount of sweetness. It goes perfectly with chocolate cake or cupcakes. Or banana cake or banana bread. You could even slather it over brownies or cookies!

Really, this frosting knows no bounds. And if you make it you’ll see just how addictively delicious it is!

More Buttercream Frosting Recipes & Tips

• • How to Make the Best Buttercream (over a million views on this video!)
  • 6 Tips for Perfect Buttercream (are you using the *right* powdered sugar?)
  • Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream (my all-time favorite)
  • Best Cream Cheese Frosting (with a secret ingredient)

5 from 12 votes

How to make

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 3 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting is ultra rich, thick, smooth, and creamy with tons of sweet nutty flavor that goes perfect on so many cakes or cupcakes!

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (270 grams) creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 1/2 cups (313 grams) powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and peanut butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar and continue beating until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about another 3 minutes.

STORAGE:

1. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let come to room temperature and re-whip in the stand mixer until light and fluffy again. Add a tablespoon or 2 of powdered sugar if it needs to thicken.
   

Recipe Notes

This makes enough frosting for a two layer cake or 24 cupcakes (or 12 cupcakes with a generous amount of frosting).

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a picture and share it on Instagram with #handletheheat so we can all see!

Recipe by Tessa Arias

Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.