Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake and frosting

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

By Judy Neyts

Yields: One 3-layer, 8-inch round cake 

Ingredients:

For the Rich, Dark Chocolate Cake (adapted from Sweetapolita)

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4 cup Cacao Barry Extra Brute Cocoa Powder (or similar premium brand)

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, room temperature

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting (recipe adapted from Annie's Eats)

1/3 cup heavy cream, chilled

3 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, divided

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of coarse salt

Instructions:

For the Rich, Dark Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 360 degrees F. Prepare three 8” round cake pans (butter or spray, line bottom with parchment paper, butter or spray paper and dust with flour).

2. In a bowl of electric mixer, combine all the dry ingredients.

3. Combine eggs, buttermilk, water, oil and vanilla in a measuring cup and lightly beat with a fork.

4. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix on medium speed for two minutes. Batter will be thin. Scrape sides and mix for another 30 seconds. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans (I like to use a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed).

5. Bake for 18-20 minutes (you may need more time depending on your oven), until toothpick comes out almost clean. Cool on wire racks for 10-15 minutes, then gently invert onto racks until cooled completely.

6. When cakes are completely cooled, I like to wrap each cake layer individually with plastic wrap and stick it in the refrigerator or freezer until I’m ready to frost. The cake will be easier to work with if it’s cooled a bit. If I’m making the cake a day or two before I actually need to frost it, I put it in the freezer to ensure freshness. If I’m frosting same-day, I’ll just put it in the refrigerator to chill until needed.

For the Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting

1. Combine the heavy cream and 1/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until light, fluffy and stiff peaks form, being careful not to over mix.

2. Transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl. In the now empty bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and peanut butter. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 45 seconds.

3. Add the remaining confectioners' sugar to the bowl and mix in, slowly at first until incorporated, then increasing the mixer speed to high. Blend in the vanilla extract and salt, and continue to whip on high speed until very fluffy, about 4-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 

4. Use a large spatula to gently fold about a third of the whipped cream into the peanut butter frosting. Once the first additional has been evenly incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain.