Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Ganache & Peanut Butter Frosting

I have allllllll the peanut butter for you today!  It is one of my favorite flavors in desserts, and today we have a one-two punch of peanut butter with a chocolate surprise in the middle.

This peanut butter cake with chocolate ganache and peanut butter frosting is indulgent and packed with flavor, but NOT too sweet.  It’s perfect for any occasion, and somewhat strangely I’ve now made it for two separate baby showers.

It starts with an easy and super moist, fluffy peanut butter cake.  Then we whip up a dark chocolate ganache (which like, sounds fancy, but is seriously the easiest thing in the world) and sandwich that in the middle.  

Top that all off with my most amazing peanut butter frosting ever, and you’ve got a winner!

For me, this is everything I want in a cake.  And that moistness is a big part of it…I just find so many cakes dry and unappetizing.  But between using oil (instead of butter), the peanut butter, and buttermilk, everything about this peanut butter cake recipe ticks my boxes.

You could even experiment with other fillings and frostings (I have plans for my salted honey custard…).  A chocolate glaze would be delicious, or maybe a Chambord-flavored icing??

Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease either one 9″ pan with higher sides, or two 8″ or 9″ shorter round pans.  I put a little parchment paper in the bottom for good measure.

In a large stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat together the peanut butter, oil, and brown sugar, until combined and creamy.  Add the vanilla extract and eggs (one at a time), and beat until just combined.

Add 1/2 cup of the flour and the baking powder, soda, and salt, mixing just until combined.

Then alternate adding the buttermilk and remaining flour (beating in-between additions), until everything has been JUST mixed in…be careful not to mix too much or the cake will be dry and dense.  If using the peanuts, throw those in and give it a quick mix as well.

Pour the batter into the pan or pans and bake until a toothpick comes out moist but clean.  That will be 20-30 minutes if you’re using two pans, and probably 30-40 if you’re using one pan. 

Remove from the oven and let the cake(s) sit in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool COMPLETELY.

When your cake is mostly cool, it’s time to make the ganache.  I have a separate post on making ganache, that shares two different techniques but in this case we’ll use the saucepan method.  Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it’s steaming—but don’t let it boil or burn! 

Remove from the heat and add the chocolate pieces.  Whisk consistently, starting in the middle to get the chocolate to melt and emulsify into the cream.  Be patient, it will look weird and watery and grainy at first, but eventually become glossy and thick. 

Sprinkle with some large sea salt crystals (if desired) and set aside to solidify but still be spreadable (about 30 minutes).

As the ganache is setting, you can make the frosting.  Beat the butter in your stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, then add the peanut butter and beat for about 30 seconds to combine it. 

Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and a pinch of sea salt (taste to get the right balance), and beat that in until fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon of the cream or milk (if needed). Chill if not using right away.

Now we assemble!!

Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally (or get your two separate layers).  Put a layer down and then spread your chocolate ganache in a thick layer over it, going right to the edges.  

Put the top layer on and then carefully smooth a thick layer of frosting on the entire cake. 

You can choose to color some of the frosting (or, I’d recommend, some regular white frosting) if you want to pipe other decorations on it. 

I used my gel food coloring to color some of the peanut butter frosting but honestly due to its brown color that was SUPER hard.  White would have been much easier.

Trust me when I say you need this peanut butter chocolate cake goodness in your life right now!!!

Other peanut butter goodness you’ll love:

• Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake with Peanut Butter Glaze
• Addictive Peanut Butter & Jelly Babka
• Mom’s No-Bake Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars
• Levain Bakery Copycat Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream
• Best-Ever Banana Cake With Peanut Butter Frosting

Peanut butter cake adapted from Daring Gourmet, with a simple chocolate ganache and fave peanut butter frosting

Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Ganache & Peanut Butter Frosting

Yield: 1 large two-layer cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes

This amazing peanut butter cake with chocolate ganache and super peanut butter-y frosting is an addictive celebration of all things peanut butter! It's great for any occasion, and you can even decorate it for something special!

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Ingredients

• PEANUT BUTTER CAKE
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (melted and cooled)
• 1/3 cup of peanut butter (see notes)
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Optional: Chopped roasted salted peanuts, for crunch
• DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE
• 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
• ~2/3 cup of dark chocolate pieces/chips
• Optional: a sprinkle of large sea salt crystals
• PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
• 1 cup of peanut butter (I used Skippy creamy)
• 1/2 cup of softened butter (I used unsalted)
• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• A pinch of sea salt crystals (big crystals are ideal)
• Optional: 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream (or 2% or whole milk)

Instructions

1. CAKE:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  You can use either one 8" or 9" round pan with higher sides, or two shorter round pans.  Whatever you choose, grease it and I usually put a little parchment paper in the bottom for good measure.
2. In a large stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat together the peanut butter, oil, and brown sugar, until combined and creamy.
3. Add the vanilla extract and eggs (one at a time), and beat just until combined.
4. Add 1/2 cup of the flour and the baking powder, soda, and salt, mixing just until combined, then alternate adding the buttermilk and remaining flour (beating in-between additions), until everything has been JUST mixed in...be careful not to mix too much or the cake will be dry and dense.  If using the peanuts, throw those in and give it a quick mix as well.
5. Pour the batter into the pan or pans and bake until a toothpick comes out moist but clean.  That will be 20-30 minutes if you're using two pans, and probably 30-40 if you're using one pan. 
6. Remove from the oven and let the cake(s) sit in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool COMPLETELY.
7. GANACHE:  When your cake is mostly cool, heat the cream in a small saucepan until it's steaming---but don't let it boil or burn!  Remove from the heat and add the chocolate pieces. 
8. Whisk consistently, starting in the middle to get the chocolate to melt and emulsify into the cream.  Be patient, it will look weird and watery and grainy at first, but eventually become glossy and thick.  Sprinkle with some large sea salt crystals (if desired) and set aside to solidify but still be spreadable (about 30 minutes).
9. FROSTING:  Beat the butter in your stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, then add the peanut butter and beat for about 30 seconds to combine it. 
10. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and a pinch of sea salt (taste to get the right balance), and beat that in until fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon of the cream or milk (if needed). Chill if not using right away.
11. ASSEMBLE:  Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally (or get your two separate layers).  Put a layer down and then spread your chocolate ganache in a thick layer over it, going right to the edges.  
12. Put the top layer on and then carefully smooth a thick layer of frosting on the entire cake.  You can choose to color some of the frosting (or, I'd recommend, some regular white frosting) if you want to pipe other decorations on it.

Notes

• I use Skippy natural; if you use a true natural peanut butter, remove the extra 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• I've done this as one cake that I cut into halves, or two separate layers.  Both have strong points, but I think I like the one cake approach better...the middle where you put the filling is much neater, without weird edge and domed-top issues that you run into with two separately-baked cake layers.

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