Briana Milner Between the layers of the moist chocolate cake is a creamy peanut butter frosting. This decadent cake is covered in more peanut butter frosting and then covered with a layer of chocolate ganache which drizzles over the sides of the cake.
Do you like peanut butter? Do you like chocolate? Then you will want to try this Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cake! It is decadent and delicious! Chocolate cake, peanut butter frosting, and a chocolate ganache would be the perfect trio for a sweet tooth, but the cake is then topped off with swirls of peanut butter frosting and bite-size pieces of peanut butter cups. This cake is like having a peanut butter cup in every bite!
Why should I make my cake from scratch?
If you want flavor and freshness, forget about a box cake mix, and make your next cake from scratch. Even if you have not tried baking a cake from scratch before, you may be surprised at how simple it is, and the flavor and freshness is so much better than any box mix. This classic chocolate cake is light, fluffy, moist and delicious, and then covered in a peanut butter frosting.
What does the Peanut Butter frosting and ganache taste like?
The peanut butter frosting is easy to make and easy to spread. The sweet ganache topping, which oozes over the sides of the cake provides a waterfall effect. The swirls of peanut butter frosting and the crushed bits of peanut cup completes the look!
Tips to make your cake a success!
For a fluffier cake, make sure all cold ingredients have been brought to room temperature.
Springform pans can “leak” so it is important to use regular cake pans. These are the ones I used:
Cool the cake completely before frosting or else the frosting will melt.
The ganache needs about 5 minutes to be firm enough to drizzle properly and to adhere to the peanut butter cup chocolate cake.
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! In fact, that’s my preferred way of preparing a cake. If I am making a cake for a birthday party or other celebration, doing it the day of the event is just too much!
Unfrosted cakes can be wrapped and refrigerated overnight until you are ready to add the frosting. Unfrosted cakes can also be wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months. To freeze, wrap the cake in two layers of plastic wrap, then add one layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Thaw overnight and bring to room temperature before decorating.
Your prepared cake can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Loosely wrap it in a double layer of Saran Wrap and then cover completely with aluminum foil. When you are ready to serve it, that it overnight in the refrigerator.
Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Before serving, allow it to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes.
Don’t want to make a 2 tier, 6 inch cake? Here are some other baking comparisons:
Cupcakes – this recipe makes 16-20 standard size cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full with batter.Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Cool completely before frosting. You may want to scoop out a small piece of cake from the center of each cupcake and pipe some of the frosting into the center. After you frost the cupcake, add a mini Reese’s cup on top.
Mini cupcakes – the recipe will make 30-36 mini cupcakes. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-14 minutes.
8″ x 8″ square pan – bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes.
9″ x 13″ cake – Grease the pan with non-stick cooking spray and add the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.
Bundt Cake – Grease and flour the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before inverting the cake onto a cooling rack.
Your frosted cake may be stored in the fridge, but set it on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
Ingredients:
All purpose flour – you can use cake flour, but all purpose flour works just fine!
Baking soda – a great way to check if your baking soda is fresh – put just a pinch of baking soda into 1/2 cup hot water with 1/4 teaspoon vinegar – if it fizzes, it is good; if not, it is time to replace the baking soda
Baking powder – to make sure the baking powder is fresh, put 1/4 cup boiling water over 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. If the mixture bubbles, the baking powder is good. If it doesn’t bubble, it is time to replace the baking powder.
Baking Cocoa – provides a sweet, rich chocolatey flavor!
Salt – table salt is best for this recipe.
Egg – for extra fluffiness, egg should be at room temperature before adding to the recipe.
Whole milk – makes the cake thicker and gives more flavor.
Vanilla extract – vanilla extract gives a better flavor than imitation vanilla.
Hot water
Frosting:
Salted butter – softened (room temperature)
Peanut butter – creamy peanut butter creates a nice, smooth and creamy frosting. This is preferred since frosting is usually smooth.
Powdered sugar – also known as confectioners sugar.
Whole milk – room temperature will make the frosting smoother.
Ganache:
Chocolate chips – semi-sweet chocolate chips provide the flavor that will complement the flavor of the cake and the peanut butter frosting. It’s preferred instead of milk chocolate chips because you are mixing it with heavy cream, which will add the milky flavor!
Heavy cream – Mixed with the chocolate chips creates this thick and sweet ganache!
Toppings:
Reese’s peanut butter cups – I used regular size peanut butter cups. To decorate, I cut them in half. Then in the middle, I sprinkled chopped peanut butter cups. Add more as you desire if you LOVE peanut butter cups!
In a mixing bowl, combine and mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cocoa, and salt.
Add the egg, milk, oil, vanilla, and water. Mix until the batter is fully incorporated and smooth.
Spray the two 6” cake pans with oil and pour the evenly divided amount of batter in each. Place the pans on a baking sheet for convenience and cook on the center rack at 350°f for 24 minutes.
Test the center of the cakes with a toothpick to be sure they’re fully cooked. Once cooked, remove and set aside to completely cool before removing the cakes from the pan. Should take about 25 minutes room temperature. See the notes about prepping ahead of time above.
While the cakes are cooling, add the softened butter and peanut butter to a mixing bowl. Using a stand or hand mixer, whisk until creamy and soft peaks form.
Gradually add the powdered sugar and milk, alternating the two until the frosting is silky and light.
Once cakes are fully cooled, using a cake or bread knife slice off the risen center of the cakes making them flat-topped. Place the bottom layer on a flat surface. Add a dollop of frosting and evenly spread leaving a 1/2” thickness.
Flip the other cake upside down and on top of the frosted cake. Completely frost the two layers of cake with a generous layer of frosting. Smooth frosting as desired. Place the frosted cake ing the fridge for 30 minutes.
In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and cream. Microwave for 45 seconds. Remove and mix until smooth.
If the chocolate is not fully melted, microwave in 20-second intervals stirring between until the ganache is smooth.
Let the ganache cool to 90°f before topping the cake. Place the ganache in a piping bag without a piping tip. Cut a very small hole in the tip.
Pipe the ganache around the edge of the cake, creating small globs that drip. Spaced out as desired. Once the edge is piped, fill in the remaining cake top. Smooth with an offset spatula. Allow the ganache to cool and harden – should take about 15 minutes on the countertop room temperate or 10 minutes in the fridge.
Place the remaining peanut butter frosting in another piping bag with an open star tip. Pipe swirl mounds of peanut butter frosting around the cake top evenly space.
Chop the peanut butter cups into bite-size pieces and spread them over the ganache top.
Serve this cake for the person who cannot get enough peanut butter in their life.
My grocery list!
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Supplies I used!
I used my KitchenAid to mix up my cake mix, frosting, and cream from the cookies together. This is the one I use! If you don’t have a stand mixer, and hand mixer will do just fine!
Cake Pans
For this recipe, you will be able to make 2 – 6 inch cake pans. If you want to exact, you can place a bowl on a food scale, zero it out, weigh it by oz, then divide by two. Then place one cake pan on the your food scale, zero it out, and fill it to the final oz weight. Then fill the remaining cake batter in the second cake pan. These are the can pans I used!
I suggest placing your cake pans on a large baking sheet for convenience. It can be difficult pulling out these round cake pans full of cake, and I find it easier to pull out one large sheet. This is the one I use!
I love having extra bowls on hand for my KitchenAid. This is the one I use in addition to the silver bowl.
To cut your cakes in half, I use a bread knife! It makes it cutting through the cake so much easier! But if you want to be super professional, you can purchase a cake cutter and leveler!
Decorations:
For piping your cake, I use a disposable piping bag. This set on Amazon below comes with 100 bags and the open star tip for this recipe!
To frost your cake, and cover the top of your cake in ganache, an offset spatula is a game changer!
If you like this cake recipe, try these other cakes!
Unicorn Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting – If you have a special little one in your life (like we do), they would be surprised and delighted to have their very own unicorn cake as the centerpiece at their next birthday party!
Galaxy Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting – This Galaxy Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting truly is “out of this world”! What future astronaut wouldn’t love this cake for their special celebration that makes them feel they are somewhere out in the galaxy with stars all around them?!
Starbucks Copycat Cookies and Cream Cakepops – These Starbucks Copycat Cookies and Cream Cakepops are great for home, but they are also perfect to serve at birthday parties, baby or wedding showers!
- Air Fryer Focaccia
- Air Fryer Korean-Style Beef Ribs
- Air Fryer Starbucks Copycat Kale and Mushroom Egg Bites
- Jalapeño Cheddar No Knead Artisan Bread Loaf
- Air Fryer Popcorn
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Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cake
Equipment
- mixing bowl or stand mixer
- 2 6” cake pans
- 1 baking sheet
- bread or sharp kitchen knife
- piping bag
- Offset spatula
- open star frosting tip
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup baking cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup hot water
Frosting:
- 1 1/3 cups salted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 3 1/3 cups powdered sugar
- 4-5 tbsp whole milk
Ganache:
- 1 cup Chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Toppings
- 4 peanut butter cups regular size Reese’s brand
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°f.
- In a mixing bowl, combine and mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cocoa, and salt.
- Add the egg, milk, oil, vanilla, and water. Mix until the batter is fully incorporated and smooth.
- Spray the two 6” cake pans with oil and pour the evenly divided amount of batter in each.
- Place the pans on a baking sheet for convenience and cook on the center rack at 350°f for 24 minutes. Test the center of the cakes with a toothpick to be sure they’re fully cooked.
- Once cooked, remove and set aside to completely cool before removing the cakes from the pan. Should take about 25 minutes room temperature.
- While the cakes are cooling, add the softened butter and peanut butter to a mixing bowl. Using a stand or hand mixer, whisk until creamy and soft peaks form. Gradually add the powdered sugar and milk, alternating the two until the frosting is silky and light.
- Once cakes are fully cooled, using a cake or bread knife slice off the risen center of the cakes making them flat-topped.
- Place the bottom layer on a flat surface. Add a dollop of frosting and evenly spread leaving a 1/2” thickness.
- Flip the other cake upside down and on top of the frosted cake.
- Completely frost the two layers of cake with a generous layer of frosting. Smooth frosting as desired.
- Place the frosted cake ing the fridge for 30 minutes.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and cream. Microwave for 45 seconds. Remove and mix until smooth. If the chocolate is not fully melted, microwave in 20-second intervals stirring between until the ganache is smooth.
- Let the ganache cool to 90°f before topping the cake.
- Place the ganache in a piping bag without a piping tip. Cut a very small hole in the tip. Pipe the ganache around the edge of the cake, creating small globs that drip. Spaced out as desired.
- Once the edge is piped, fill in the remaining cake top. Smooth with an offset spatula.
- Allow the ganache to cool and harden – should take about 15 minutes on the countertop room temperate or 10 minutes in the fridge.
- Place the remaining peanut butter frosting in another piping bag with an open star tip. Pipe swirl mounds of peanut butter frosting around the cake top evenly space.
- Chop the peanut butter cups into bite-size pieces and spread them over the ganache top.
- Serve this cake for the person who cannot get enough peanut butter in their life.
