This peanut butter chocolate cake with chocolate ganache is one of those cakes I make when a plain chocolate cake simply isn’t going to cut it. It has four soft chocolate layers, plenty of creamy peanut butter frosting, and a glossy chocolate ganache running down the sides. There is absolutely nothing subtle about it, and that is very much the point.
If you are in the mood for another properly chocolatey dessert like this moist chocolate cake, why not try this Triple Chocolate Cake? Now for the recipe as promised!
Jump to:
Video Instructions
Try This Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
One of my favorite things about this chocolate peanut butter cake is how the different layers balance each other. The chocolate cake is dark and moist, the peanut butter frosting is creamy instead of sugary, and the ganache adds a smooth chocolate end result.
This peanut butter layer cake does take some chilling time, but none of the individual steps are especially difficult. I usually bake the layers ahead of time, which means I can put the cake together the next day without turning my kitchen into a small disaster zone all in one day.
Why You’ll Love It
- Rich without being sickly sweet: The cream cheese gives a slight tang to the peanut butter frosting, which I find makes a huge difference when there are four layers involved.
- Soft, moist cake layers: The oil, buttermilk, and hot water keep the chocolate cake soft and moist instead of dry and crumbly.
- Easy to make ahead: I like to bake the layers and prepare the frosting a day or two before assembling the cake, which makes the whole process much more manageable.
- Chocolate and peanut butter everywhere: If that combination is your weakness, this ultimate peanut butter cake recipe is not going to help your self-control.
Ingredients
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder: I use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for the chocolate cake layers because it gives them a deep, smooth chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa powder also works, but you need to replace the baking powder with 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon baking powder, as natural cocoa needs baking soda to help the cake rise properly.
- Espresso powder: A small amount of espresso powder makes the chocolate flavor taste even richer without making the entire cake taste like coffee. It is one of my favorite little tricks in chocolate cakes, but you can leave it out completely or use a suitable espresso powder substitute.
- Cream cheese: Either brick-style or spreadable cream cheese works in the peanut butter frosting. I let brick-style cream cheese soften at room temperature first, while spreadable cream cheese can usually be mixed straight from the refrigerator because it is already soft enough.
- Semisweet chocolate and corn syrup: I recommend using chopped semi-sweet chocolate bars for the ganache because they melt more smoothly and create a better texture than chocolate chips, which can be drier and more crumbly. The corn syrup gives the ganache its glossy finish, but you can replace it with agave or glucose syrup, or simply leave it out.
How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottoms and sides of two 8-inch (20cm) baking pans with parchment paper and set them aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder, and set aside. Then mix the oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl on a low speed just until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix at medium speed with a hand or stand mixer to combine.
3. While mixing, gradually add the hot water and mix until combined.
4. Lightly grease the bottom of each pan. Divide the batter between the two prepared 8 or 9-inch cake pans equally and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. While the cake is cooling down on a wire rack, prepare the peanut butter ganache. Mix the butter for about 2-3 minutes until creamy. Add the cream cheese and mix until creamy and no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Then add the peanut butter and mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and stir until creamy and smooth, and the sugar is dissolved for a smooth frosting finish.
6. For the frosting, cut a thin layer off the tops of your cakes to create a flat surface. Then cut each cake in half horizontally.
7. Place one cake layer on a cake turner and spread a quarter of the frosting over the cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting and cover again with a quarter of the frosting. Repeat one more time.
8. Place the last cake layer on top and lightly frost the outside and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting (the whole cake). You can also use a piping bag with a Wilton tip if you like. Chill in the refrigerator.
9. For the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Then, heat the cream and corn syrup in a microwaveable bowl for about 1-2 minutes until very hot and bubbly, or use a small saucepan on the stove Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let it rest for 1-2 minutes.
10. Whisk the ganache until the chocolate is completely melted and no lumps remain. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until thick enough to decorate the top of the cake.
11. Remove the cake from the fridge, spoon the glaze little by little around the sides, and let it drip off the sides. Do this with a small spoon and do one drip at a time.
12. Then pour the rest of the ganache onto the cake (maybe you don't need all of it) and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to allow the ganache to set. Add some crushed biscuits on top for a crumb coat, or decorate as desired, then serve and enjoy this amazing recipe.
Recipe Tips
- I always divide the batter as evenly as possible between the pans. If one pan gets noticeably more batter, one layer will finish baking before the other, which is just irritating.
- Spoon the flour and cocoa powder into the measuring cups and level them with the back of a knife rather than packing them down. Too much of either can turn a beautifully moist cake into something better suited to holding a door open.
- Don’t keep mixing once the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can make the cake layers heavier and less tender. You can either use a whisk or hand mixer and blend just long enough for the ingredients to combine.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting it. Even slightly warm layers can soften the frosting and send it slowly sliding out between the layers.
- I test the ganache on the back of the chilled cake first. That way, if the consistency is wrong, nobody has to know.
What Can You Serve With This?
- Vanilla ice cream
- Fresh strawberries
- Raspberries
- Hot coffee
- Cold milk
- Whipped cream
- Salted peanuts
FAQs
Yes, and I usually do. The cake layers and peanut butter frosting can both be prepared up to 2 days ahead. I keep the cake layers covered at room temperature and the frosting in the refrigerator, then let the frosting soften for about 20-30 minutes before assembling.
Yes, but you need to change the raising agents. Replace the tablespoon of baking powder with 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon baking powder so the natural cocoa has the acid-base reaction it needs.
It gives the frosting better structure, makes it creamier, and balances the sweetness. Without it, the frosting can taste much heavier and sweeter, especially once it is spread between four layers.
You can, but I prefer not to. Chopped chocolate bars melt more smoothly and make a silkier ganache, while chocolate chips can be thicker and a little less refined once melted.
Recipe
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup dutch-processed cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling hot water
Peanut Butter Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate bars, finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional)
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line the bottom and sides of two 8-inch (20cm) baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, mix the oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla just until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine. The batter will be very thick.
- While mixing, gradually add the hot water and mix until combined. The batter will be very thin.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared baking pans equally. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. Then remove from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, mix the butter for about 2-3 minutes until creamy.
- Add the cream cheese and mix until creamy and no lumps remain, about 2 minutes.
- Then add the peanut butter and mix until well blended, about 1 minute.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and stir until creamy and smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
Frosting the Cake Layers
- Cut a thin layer off the tops of your cakes to create a flat surface. Then cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
- Place one cake layer on a cake turner and spread a quarter of the frosting over the cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting and cover again with a quarter of the frosting. Repeat one more time.
- Place the last cake layer on top and lightly frost the outside and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Chocolate Ganache and Decoration
- Place the chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.
- Then, heat the cream and corn syrup in a microwaveable bowl for about 1-2 minutes until very hot and bubbly.
- Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let it rest for 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk the ganache until the chocolate is completely melted and no lumps remain. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until thick enough to decorate the cake.
- Before you spoon the ganache over the cake sides, test the consistency first. It should be thick enough to create nice thick droplets that won't run down the sides of the cake like water. The longer you let the ganache sit at room temperature, the thicker it will be. If it's too thick, heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds.
- Remove the cake from the fridge, spoon the glaze little by little around the sides, and let it drip off the sides. Do this with a small spoon and do one drip at a time. Then pour the rest of the ganache onto the cake (maybe you don't need all of it) and smooth it out with an offset spatula.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to allow the ganache to set.
- Top the cake with peanut butter cups if desired and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Cooking Time and Temperature
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Chill the assembled cake for at least 4 hours before adding the ganache.Taste & Texture
This peanut butter chocolate cake with chocolate ganache has soft, deeply chocolatey layers with a moist crumb. The peanut butter frosting is smooth, creamy, and slightly tangy, while the ganache adds a silky finish that becomes softly firm once chilled.Storage, Freezing & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Room Temperature: The cake can stay at room temperature for up to 3 days in a cool home, but I refrigerate it if the weather is warm because the frosting softens quickly.
- Freezer: Freeze the cake for up to 3 months.
- Thawing: Unwrap and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Not needed. Let refrigerated slices sit at room temperature briefly if you prefer softer frosting and ganache.
Serving Recommendations
I like serving this chocolate peanut butter cake slightly cool rather than fridge-cold because the frosting becomes creamier and the chocolate flavor comes through more clearly. A strong coffee or a cold glass of milk is more than enough alongside it; the cake is already doing quite a lot.Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder: Natural cocoa can be used, but change the leavening to 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon baking powder.
- Espresso powder: Leave it out if you don’t have it. It strengthens the chocolate flavor but does not make the cake taste like coffee.
- Cream cheese: Either softened brick-style cream cheese or spreadable cream cheese will work.
- Corn syrup: Replace it with agave or glucose syrup, or omit it. The ganache will still taste good, but it may not be quite as glossy.
- Decoration: Add peanut butter cups, chopped peanuts, chocolate curls, or a small drizzle of warmed peanut butter.
Proper Storage Tips
- Chill the cake before covering it so the ganache has time to set.
- Store it in an airtight cake container to prevent the layers from drying out.
- Keep it refrigerated when the room is warm.
- Wrap the cake tightly before freezing to protect it from freezer odors.
- Thaw it uncovered only after removing the plastic wrap, so condensation does not soak into the frosting.
Pro Tips
- Measure the flour and cocoa powder lightly rather than packing them into the cups.
- Divide the batter evenly so both cakes finish baking at the same time.
- Stop mixing as soon as the batter comes together.
- Chill the frosted cake fully before adding the ganache.
- Test one ganache drip before decorating the rest of the cake.
Video
You can find the video in the post above. If you don't see a video, please check your browser settings.
Prairie Girl
Just baked this cake. Absolutely delicious, moist, the peanut butter frosting is subtle, not too sweet. I had crunchy peanut butter, with tiny roasted pieces of peanuts, and it turned out great as it added texture to the frosting. Oh, and I put a bit of salt on top as well. So decadent! Thank you for another great recipe!
Kiara
OMG!!! I'm in LOVE with this cake. Not just that it tastes AMAZING it's also super moist and the frosting is so creamy! Great job!
Sabine
Thank you! I'm beyond happy that you love this recipe as much as I do!