Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cake

Everyone knows that I’m a big fan of chocolate and peanut butter, and I was in the mood to bake with it one night.  I also wanted to try a chocolate-peanut butter frosting.  I’ve tried and loved a peanut butter frosting recipe, but I wanted to try a recipe where they were together.  I’ve had this cake bookmarked for a long time now, and I thought it would be the perfect cake to pair with this frosting.  This cake had a strong peanut butter flavor that was just right.  The peanut butter made it nice and moist.  The recipe says to use three 9×2-inch pans, but there is no way I could have put this batter into three pans.  I used 2 pans and the cake was still fairly thin.  If you want a thick three-layer cake, I would suggest doubling the recipe.  The cake came out just fine in two layers, though, so you can do it either way. The frosting was amazing.  It had the perfect balance between chocolate and peanut butter.   I will definitely be using this recipe again!  This was just what I was looking for!

Peanut Butter Peanut Butter Chip Cake
Source: Death By Chocolate Cake via Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup tightly packed brown sugar
3 ounces creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325F.

Grease two 9 x 1 1/2 inch pans.  Line your bottoms with parchment. Set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Mix together brown sugar, peanut butter and butter for two minutes. Add egg and egg yolk and mix for another 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and mix for another minute.

Add half of the flour mixture and mix until incorporated about 20 seconds. Then add the sour cream, mixing again for 20 seconds. Gradually add the remaining flour mixture.  Add the hot water in a slow, steady stream and mix on low to combine, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and mix for another 10 seconds. Add the peanut butter chips and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Divide the cake batter into the prepared pans, spreading it evenly. Bake for about 22 minutes. If you have 4 inch diameter tart pans like I used, it takes the same amount of time to bake the cake, if not a few more minutes. Use a knife to see if it is done.

Frost tops and sides of cake with frosting.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
Source: adapted from CD Kitchen

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup cocoa
16 ounces powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup peanut butter

Directions:

Combine butter, milk, and cocoa in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients; beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth.