Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake is a decadent, rich dessert that is not only incredibly divine, but looks stunning too! This moist chocolate cake is covered in creamy peanut butter frosting, topped with silky chocolate ganache and then garnished with peanut butter cups. Don’t worry, you’re not dreaming. This is real and tastes as unbelievable as it looks!

Skip the grocery store cakes, and make this sweet, spongy cake from the comfort of your own home. I know what you may be thinking, but seriously, don’t let the look of this recipe intimidate you. Baking and decorating cakes from scratch can be a lot simpler than you may think!

Ingredient Info

• Buttermilk – Buttermilk helps create a tender cake, and it aids in helping the cake rise. No buttermilk on hand? You can also make your own buttermilk from scratch.
• Water – This will go into the cake batter boiling hot and combined with the instant coffee. You can also boil a pot of coffee instead, or just skip all of that and just add the water to the batter.
• Instant Coffee – Again, this ingredient is optional, but using coffee of any kind can really bring out some wonderful flavors in the chocolate cake. It will not make your cake taste like coffee (trust me) but it will give the chocolate an even richer flavor. If you choose to use this instant coffee, make sure you mix it with the water before adding it to the cake batter.
• Granulated Sugar – Use white granulated sugar for the cake batter.
• Flour – All purpose flour is best for this recipe. Make sure you are measuring out your flour by spooning it into the measuring cup, leveling it off, then using it in the recipe. Do not pack the flour in tight or else your cake will come out too dry.
• Powdered Sugar – This is the best type of sugar to use for a frosting.
• Whipping Cream – The whipping cream is for the frosting, but if you don’t have any on hand you can use heavy cream, half and half, or just plain milk.
• Cocoa Powder – Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder is highly recommended for this recipe, but feel free to use whatever cocoa powder you have on hand.
• Creamy Peanut Butter – More natural types of peanut butter that are liquid-y and oily are not the best option to use in the frosting. I recommend using a generic, creamy, spreadable brand that you can get at any grocery store.
• Baker’s Chocolate – This is for the chocolate ganache topping, which is optional, but really amazing when drizzled over the peanut butter frosting. You can use any kind of semi-sweet chocolate you have on hand, including chocolate chips. You can also use dark chocolate. Milk chocolate is an option, but can be overly sweet.
• Optional Toppings – If you love to add a little ‘pizzazz’ to your cakes, you can top it with some halved Reese’s peanut butter cups, some chocolate sprinkles, and any leftover peanut butter frosting you have.

Step By Step Instructions

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F, then grease and flour two round 9 inch cake pans. Set those off to the side and grab a large mixing bowl. To the bowl, add the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk that together until combined.
2. To the same bowl, add the oil, eggs, vanilla extract and milk. Beat that together with an electric hand or stand mixer until smooth. (Takes about 2 minutes) Next, combine the instant coffee with your boiling water OR just pour your boiling water straight into the batter. Continue to beat it together until smooth. The batter should be fairly thin.
3. Once combined, grab your two greased and floured cake pans. Pour half of the batter into one pan, and the remaining half into the other. Place the cake pans in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until done. You can test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake, and if it comes out clean you know it’s done.
4. While the cakes bake, begin on the peanut butter frosting. In a large mixing bowl, add peanut butter and softened butter. Beat that together with an electric hand or stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add in vanilla extract and continue to beat.
5. Next, add in half the powdered sugar. Beat that together before adding half of the whipping cream. Beat it together until light and fluffy. Add in the remaining powdered sugar, beat it together, then add the remaining cream and beat it together. You can add as much cream as you need until you get the frosting consistency that you desire.
6. Take the cakes out of the oven once they’re done. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Don’t frost the cake until the cakes have cooled completely.
7. For the chocolate ganache, you’ll start by grabbing a large, heavy saucepan and adding the semi sweet chocolate and heavy whipping cream. Heat the saucepan on the stove over a low heat and continuously stir.
8. Continue to stir until the chocolate is fully melted. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the ganache to cool in the saucepan until you’re ready to decorate. Stir the ganache occasionally so it doesn’t harden.
9. When the cakes are cooled and you’re ready to decorate, you can use a spatula or piping bag to pipe the frosting onto the cake. Pour or spoon the cooled chocolate ganache over the top of the cake. Garnish with more frosting, Reeses peanut butter cups and chocolate sprinkles. Serve and enjoy!

Tips and Advice

Storage – You can store the leftover cake covered at room temperature for 3-4 days, or you can freeze it for up to 2 months.

Equipment – For this recipe you’ll need a hand or stand electric mixer, two 9 inch round cake pans, a cooling rack, a saucepan, whisk or something to stir with, mixing bowls, an offset spatula, as well as a piping bag and tip.

Prevent Sticky Situations – If you struggle with cakes sticking to your pans, here are two products I highly recommend. Parchment Rounds fit perfectly in your cake pan, and make it super easy to get your cakes out of the pan. You can also make these yourself by cutting your own. Baker’s Joy is a non-stick baking spray with flour, it is great for having cakes, and other baked goods, easily release from their pans.

FAQs

Recipes You’ll Love

Chocolate and peanut butter are some of the worlds greatest pleasures. So why stop at just one recipe? Here are a few more decadent and divine chocolate and peanut butter recipes you won’t want to miss out on.

• Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
• Hershey’s Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
• Peanut Butter Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes
• Molten Chocolate Cake
• Dark Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Sheet Cake