Some flavors just go together perfectly. Peanut butter and chocolate are one of those flavor pairs that seems to be a home run every time, without fail. Whether you’re referring to ice cream or cookies or candies or cakes, it simply doesn’t matter. If you have a dessert to make for any number of people, you’re sure to please the masses if you choose a peanut butter and chocolate combination.
For this reason, we’ve nailed the perfect peanut butter and chocolate cake recipe, knowing not only that most people will love it – but also that you’ll be hard pressed to find one you like better.
Cake Ingredients
3 cups sugar
2 and 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 and 1/3 cups cocoa powder
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
2 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups boiling water
Frosting Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and softened slightly but cooled
8 oz room temperature cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup peanut butter
4 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven preheats, prepare three 8-inch round pans with cooking spray and parchment paper to prevent sticking. Set the pans aside, and begin mixing your ingredients.
In a large bowl, mix in your sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and cocoa powder. Beat until combine thoroughly, but do not over-mix. Add in boiling water, and beat again until just combined. Be sure that you use a spatula to clean the edges of the bowl as you beat, so that you’re mixing all ingredients evenly.
Divide the batter evenly into your three, greased pans. Bake each one simultaneously for 25 to 30 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool on a wire rack while you prepare your frosting.
In a mixer, beat together your butter an cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add in your peanut butter and vanilla, and beat until thoroughly mixed in. Lastly, add in your powdered sugar and heavy cream, and mix until completely smooth.
Once the cake has cooled, place the first layer on a cake plate. Using a spatula, spread about one cup of frosting on top of the layer. Add one more layer, top with one cup of frosting. Add your final layer, and top with the remaining frosting, spreading the frosting around the outside edges of the cake as well. For best results, refrigerate between frosting layers so that they frosting hardens – otherwise the layers may slide around on top of each other.
Enjoy this classic with a tall glass of milk!
Image Credit: istockphoto.com
