Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
| Lew's Birthday Cake 2013 |
|---|
Yield: 8-inch triple-layer cake; serves 12 to 16
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts or peanut brittle or Reece's Cups
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch cake pans. Line with waxed paper and butter the paper.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.
- Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water.
- Blend in the vinegar and vanilla.
- Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended.
- Pour batter into cake pans.
- Bake for 30 - 35 minutes.
- Cool in the pans for 20 minutes. NOTE: Cakes are very soft. Freezer for 30 minutes to make them easier to work with.
- Frost cake with Peanut Butter Frosting. NOTE: Freeze cake to set frosting.
- Pour the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze over the top of the cake. Spread it over the top of the cake so it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips.
- Decorate the top with chopped peanuts, peanut brittle or Reece's Cups
- Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes.
Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups
Ingredients:
- 10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn't separate out)
Directions:
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
- Add confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time.
- Add the peanut butter.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
Directions:
- Melt chocolate in microwave.
- Add peanut butter and corn syrup.
- Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Add in the half-and-half, beating until smooth.
- Use while still warm.