Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake (For Two)

Two layers of rich chocolate cake with a smooth and creamy peanut butter frosting and a chocolate ganache drizzle-Truly a taste of Heaven!The frosting is my favorite part of this cake. It's dreamy.

I recently did a poll on my Instagram story that was between chocolate peanut butter cake and chocolate raspberry cake. It was a very close race, but the chocolate peanut butter cake won. The chocolate raspberry lovers were very loyal and I got many messages requesting a chocolate raspberry dessert despite their loss. I promise to work on that soon!

Chocolate peanut butter cake is one of my favorite combinations. It's sweet, salty, and sinfully delicious. I love surprising my husband with sweet treats but I don't want a 8" cake that feeds 20 people sitting around our house. Since many of my readers are single, newlyweds or women with small families, I decided to make a smaller cake that was perfect for just a few people. I like to say it feeds two because my husband and I could have eaten the whole thing. We are both trying to cut back on sweets so I had to get rid of this cake before we regretted it... It is SO GOOD!!

I used two, six inch cake pans like the ones here.

This is the perfect cake for Valentine's Day!

One of my favorite tools is this cake smoother. It has different sides and I use it to make my naked cakes, smooth cakes, and the ridges in this cake. I never make a cake without it!

If you don't want to use this tool, simply frost the sides with an offset spatula.

To bump this cake up a notch, I filled it with Reese's cups. NOT WHOLE 30.

This chocolate ganache drizzle is the perfect addition to this cake and it is so simple to make. Place 1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips in a bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup heavy cream to a simmer and then pour on top of the chocolate chips. Let sit 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth. After it is smooth, let it sit for another 10-15 minutes to thicken a little bit before drizzling. This ganache recipe makes enough to store some in the refrigerator to top on ice cream. You're welcome.

I hope you make this cake for your loved ones on Valentine's Day or any day of the year because nothing says, "I love you" quite like chocolate. Happy Baking!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Yield: 2 layered, 6 inch cake

Author: Elisabeth & Butter

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

For the Cake

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup whole milk (or any type of milk)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup hot coffee

For the Frosting

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
• Heaping 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 teaspoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Drizzle

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for filling and topping

instructions:

How to cook Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

For the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and flour 2 six inch cake pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add in egg, milk, oil, and vanilla. With the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed for two minutes.
4. Add hot coffee and mix to combine.
5. Divide batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then remove the layers and let cool completely on a wire rack.

For the Frosting

1. In a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and peanut butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
2. Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add the confectioners sugar, alternating with milk if needed. If the frosting is too thin, add more confectioners sugar. If too thick, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. Mix in vanilla extract.

For the Chocolate Drizzle

1. Place chocolate chips in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer and then pour over chocolate chips. Let this sit for 5 minutes and then stir until completely smooth. After it is smooth, let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to thicken a bit before drizzling.

For Assembling the Cake

1. Place one cake layer on a cake board, plate or stand and spread some of the frosting on top. Sprinkle chopped up Reese’s cups on top of the frosting. Place the next layer, bottom side up, on top and thinly frost the sides and top of the cake to where the layers still show through. Place the cake in the refrigerator to create a crumb coating.
2. Once the frosting is hard to the touch on the cake, remove from the refrigerator and frost the entire cake and use the cake smoother to create the ridges if desired.
3. Drizzle the chocolate ganache down the sides using a piping bag, ziplock bag, or spoon. Top with chopped Reese’s cups and enjoy!

NOTES:

This cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Serve at room temperature.

Created using The Recipes Generator