The Ultimate Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
This peanut butter chocolate cake is so delicious, you won't be able to stop eating it! With ultra-creamy peanut butter icing and soft chocolate ganache, this dessert will have your mouth watering just by looking at the pictures.
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 542kcal
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.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 542kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 366mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 529IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 3mg