Description
This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake is a rich, moist, bakery-style dessert with soft chocolate cake layers, creamy peanut butter frosting, caramel drizzle, and chocolate chips on top. It is an easy recipe for birthdays, dessert ideas, party food, holiday baking, chocolate cake lovers, peanut butter desserts, and sweet food ideas when you want something impressive but still simple to make at home.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup hot coffee or hot water
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup unsalted butter softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup caramel sauce
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup crushed peanut butter cookies or peanut butter candy pieces
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease three 8-inch cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
4. Slowly stir in the hot coffee or hot water until the batter is thin and glossy.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
6. Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
7. Cool the cake layers in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Beat the peanut butter and softened butter together until creamy and smooth.
9. Add powdered sugar gradually, then mix in heavy cream until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
10. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread peanut butter frosting over the top.
11. Repeat with the remaining cake layers, then frost the top and sides of the cake.
12. Drizzle caramel sauce over the top and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and crushed peanut butter cookies or candy pieces.
13. Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing for cleaner layers.
Notes
Do not frost the cake while the layers are warm. Even slightly warm cake can melt the peanut butter frosting and cause the layers to slide, so let the cake cool completely before assembling.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 640
- Sugar: 58g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 76g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, chocolate cake, peanut butter cake, easy dessert, birthday cake, party dessert, cake recipe, peanut butter frosting