Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A rich chocolate cake with a peanut butter frosting and silky chocolate ganache. Uses instant coffee in batter to deepen chocolate flavor. Butter and peanut butter creamed thoroughly prevents grainy frosting. Ganache chilled for perfect drip effect. Three layers, evened by trimming domes. Piping dollops add textural contrast. Reese’s Pieces add crunch and color. Balanced fat and sugar contents make it indulgent yet not overly sweet. Emphasis on tactile, aromatic cues for perfect bake and finish. Practical substitutions and troubleshooting tips included for kitchen adaptability. Taste complexity built layering bitter, sweet, and creamy elements. Familiar ingredients with a twist in technique and ratio.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
23 min
Total:
58 min
Servings:
12 servings
#Layer Cake
#Peanut Butter
#Chocolate
#Ganache
#Baking Tips
#Dessert
Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache. Coffee to boost the cocoa without tasting like coffee—subtle but important. Three layers, balanced sweet and fat. Frosting needs slow creaming, no shortcuts or grit will sneak in. Cake layers dome? Trim, no shortcuts. Ganache not hot or cold when pouring—too runny or thick messes up the drip. Timing can flex, but few minutes make a world difference. Reese’s Pieces on top? Adds crunch, color, nostalgia. Texture, aroma, sharp chocolate scent mingling with peanut butter sweetness. It’s about senses—feeling texture with fingers, smelling layers baking, tasting balance. No fluff, just solid reliable steps, with options when ingredients or tools act up.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups cake flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup very hot water
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules (can reduce or omit)
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed and softened
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (smooth style)
- 4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar (add more if needed)
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream (adjust for consistency)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (can substitute dark chocolate)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Optional garnish: Reese's Pieces candies
About the ingredients
Cake flour essential for tender crumb but all-purpose can work with a tiny reduction in amount. Cocoa powder should be unsweetened and natural for deepest flavor, Dutch-process makes batter darker but acidity alters baking powder behavior—adjust accordingly. Instant coffee optional but recommended; skip if sensitive or swap for espresso powder halved. Oil makes crumb moist, but can sub margarine melted for different flavor. Peanut butter frosting’s success depends on room temp butter and smooth peanut butter; chunky peanut butter creates lumps, so swap cautiously. Powdered sugar sifted keeps frosting airy; unsifted can get grainy. Heavy cream controls frosting texture perfectly, adjust slowly. Ganache requires finely chopped chocolate; bars beat chips here. Semi-sweet preferred but dark chocolate deeper, milk chocolate sweeter. Substitute heavy cream with half-and-half but ganache will be thinner, chill longer. Reese’s Pieces optional garnish, can swap with chopped peanuts or candy for texture.
Method
Chocolate Cake
- Heat oven to 355°F (adjusted). Spray 3 8-inch pans with baking spray; line bottom with parchment if uneven heat suspected.
- In medium bowl, sift cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt. No skipping sift - clumps kill texture.
- In large bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, milk, oil, vanilla until pale, slight froth. Incorporate air here, don't overbeat.
- Add dry stuff to wet bit by bit. Whisk until just combined—don’t overwork or cake toughens.
- Dissolve coffee granules into hot water separately (coffee sharpens cocoa flavor; skip if sensitive). Stir into batter. Should be shiny and pourable, not thick-gloppy.
- Divide batter evenly – kitchen scale saves headaches here. About 500g each pan. Light taps on counter settle air bubbles.
- Bake 23-28 minutes. Start checking at 20. Toothpick in center should come out with few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Edges smell nutty chocolate, shrinking slightly from pan sides.
- Cool 10 minutes in pans. Gently flip onto wire racks. Cover loosely if drying during cool to avoid crust buildup.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- Beat butter first medium speed until light and airy, no lumps. Butter temp matters; too cold and lumps persist.
- Add peanut butter, continue mixing till combined smooth silk. Lumps here mean too cold or rushed.
- Slowly sifted powdered sugar goes in small additions first on low speed to prevent sugar clouds. Scale speed gradually to medium-high.
- Scrape bowl edges frequently. Frosting can catch stubborn pockets of sugar or butter. Don’t rush this step.
- Add vanilla and cream. Beat 2–4 mins to light fluffy texture. Frosting’s consistency should be thick but spreadable. Adjust powdered sugar by ½ cup increments to thicken or spoon heavy cream by tablespoon for thinning, scrapping after each add.
- Remove 1 cup frosting to a large piping bag fitted with decorative tip. Chill or keep covered till cake assembly to prevent drying.
Cake Assembly
- Place first cooled cake layer on serving plate. Level dome by trimming domed top cautiously with serrated knife to prevent uneven stacking.
- Spread about 1 cup frosting evenly top edge to edge with offset spatula.
- Add second layer, then more frosting. Repeat with third layer. Reserve about 1–1.5 cups frosting for crumb coat and final coverage.
- Crumb coat optional but recommended for tidy finish. Thin layer all around, chill 15 min to set, then thicker final coat.
Chocolate Ganache
- Put chopped chocolate, cream, butter in microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave 1 minute on high. Rest 1 minute—residual heat crucial to melt chocolate without seizing.
- Whisk gently until ganache silky smooth; glossy sheen is golden sign.
- Cool ganache on counter until slightly thickened but pourable. If too hot, will run off cake too fast; too cold will be clumpy.
- Use large spoon to pour on top; tilt cake slightly to encourage drips down sides. Use offset spatula or bench scraper for thin, even coat on top and sides.
- Chill cake minimum 1 hour to firm ganache before piped decoration.
- Pipe peanut butter frosting dollops around edge with reserved piping bag.
- Add Reese's Pieces if desired for crunch, color pop. Serve chilled or room temp.
Storage and Serving
- Keep refrigerated if not serving soon. Ganache firms beautifully cold but soften 20 minutes before slicing for best texture.
Cooking tips
Watch for batter consistency—should be pourable, not paste thick. Overmixing kills lift, undermixes cause dense cake. Baking time varies with oven; toothpick test trumps minutes. Cool layers properly or frosting slides; warm cake means melting frosting and mess. Frosting: beat butter thoroughly before peanut butter to avoid gritty lumps. Powdered sugar addition slow and scrapped makes difference, patience needed. Ganache rest after microwaving prevents burning chocolate bits; whisk gently until silky shiny. Pour ganache at just right temperature—not too hot to run off fast, not so cold it clumps. Pipe frosting after ganache firms sufficiently for hold; if ganache still soft, dollops flatten and smear. Chill whole cake minimum hour to set. Plan ahead: frosting can be made day ahead; ganache best same day. Troubleshoot soggy cake by avoiding overwet batter; substitute coffee with hot water if flavor problematic. Trim domes for stacking stability. Use scale to portion batter evenly; otherwise uneven layers cook unevenly and ruin symmetry.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter temperature crucial for frosting - too cold means lumps stubbornly remain no matter mixing effort. Bring to room temp but watch clock. Smooth when combined with peanut butter, else frosting grainy. Sift powdered sugar slowly; add small amounts, beat low speed first to avoid sugar dust cloud that’s hard to clean. Scale batter per pan. Uneven batter yields uneven layers; use gentle taps on counter to pop air bubbles before baking. Trim cake domes sharp and slow so layers stack square. Ganache timing essential. Too hot, it slides off fast; too cold, clumpy blobs. Let it cool on counter until slightly thick but pourable.
- 💡 Instant coffee in batter not just flavor - it sharpens chocolate notes, no coffee taste leftover if used right. Dissolve in very hot water before mixing. If sensitive, omit or replace with half quantity espresso powder for stronger punch but smaller dose needed. Stir gently into batter after dry and wet combined to avoid toughening. Cake flour best for tender crumb but all-purpose works with tiny reduction in flour weight. Cocoa powder natural preferred - Dutch process heavier color but baking powder acts differently if Dutch used, adjust leavening accordingly.
- 💡 Frosting consistency rules. Thick but spreadable means 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 6 tablespoons cream typically. Adjust one tablespoon cream or ½ cup sugar at a time; more cream thins, sugar thickens. Scrape bowl edges after every addition - trapped sugar pockets will ruin smooth finish. Chill piping bag frosting or cover tightly to avoid crust, especially if prepping ahead. Cake layers must cool before frosting or frosting melts and slides. Waiting annoying but pays off in neatness.
- 💡 Ganache heating technique matters. Microwave one minute full power then let rest one minute - residual heat melts chocolate fully without burning bits that seizes texture. Whisk gently but thoroughly until shiny sheen forms. Pour ganache when thickened slightly yet pourable. Too runny looks messy, too thick no drip effect. Using offset spatula or bench scraper smooths ganache sides evenly. Chill at least one hour minimum to firm ganache before piping dollops; otherwise decorations collapse or smear.
- 💡 Cake assembly sequence: trim domes first; uneven layers cause stack to waver. Reserve 1 to 1 1/2 cups frosting for crumb coat and final layer; crumb coat optional but keeps crumbs from surfacing on top. Frost each layer evenly edge to edge. Dollops piped after ganache firmed add texture contrast plus peanut butter flavor. Reese’s Pieces—optional but adds crunch, color pop, nostalgia. Store cake refrigerated especially with ganache; allow 20-minute temper before slicing for less crumb drag and better texture.
Common questions
Can I skip coffee in batter?
Yes but flavor dims; coffee sharpens chocolate, no bitter aftertaste if done right. Use half espresso powder if worried. Dissolve coffee fully in hot water before adding to blend smoothly.
My frosting is gritty, what went wrong?
Usually butter too cold or powdered sugar not sifted properly. Beat butter till fluffy before sugar. Add sugar slow on low speed to avoid grain pockets. Scrape bowl often; lumps or grit mean cold butter or rushed mixing.
How to tell cake when baked?
Toothpick test best but smells help too - edges smell nutty chocolate, shrinks slightly from pan. Toothpick with few moist crumbs signals done; wet batter means more time needed but watch not to overbake. Cooling in pan 10 minutes then cooling on rack prevents drying crust.
How store leftover cake?
Refrigerate with cover to keep moisture. Ganache firms cold but let cake warm 20 mins before slicing for better texture, less crumb drag. Frosting protects layers from drying. Room temperature okay short term but not more than few hours or frosting melts.
