Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

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4.68 from 25 votes

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

This Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake is pure decadence! Rich chocolatey layers and a silky peanut butter frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 35

Total Time 2 35

Servings

Calories 578kcal

Author Olivia

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
1/4 cup powdered peanut butter optional
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk room temperature
3/4 cup hot water
2 large eggs room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

5 large egg whites
1 2/3 cup dark brown sugar lightly packed
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350F, grease three 6" round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.
Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour water in slowly as not to cook the eggs if very hot).
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
Bake until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. A total of 35-40mins.
Cool 10 minutes in the pans then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

Place egg whites and dark brown sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.*
Place bowl over a hot water bath on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins). Or registers 160F on a candy thermometer.
Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.**
Add powdered peanut butter 1 Tbsp at a time. Add vanilla and whip until smooth.

Assembly:

Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving dish. Top with about 2/3 cup buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost and smooth the outside with a thin crumb coat (thicker on the very top). Chill for 20mins.
Do a decorative rope border on top using a 1M tip if desired.***

Notes

* Ensure there is NO trace of egg yolks in your whites and that your mixer bowl and whisk is completely grease free or your meringue won't stiffen.
** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth.
*** This recipe makes enough frosting to fully frost the cake if desired.

Nutrition

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