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Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

April 9, 2019 By Jocelyn - 63 Comments

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The Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake has layers of chocolate and peanut butter frosting and is topped with Reese’s peanut butter cups. It’s the perfect dessert for chocolate lover’s.

Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake - homemade chocolate cake covered in peanut butter frosting and peanut butter cups. Make this easy chocolate cake recipe for parties and events! #cake #chocolate #homemade #peanutbuttercups #peanutbutterfrosting

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

Whenever we go out to eat, I love to check out the dessert menu.  It doesn’t matter if we have been to that restaurant a thousand times before.  I am still going to sit and drool over the desserts.  

It’s like I have a thing for desserts or something. Especially if it is chocolate cake. I definitely have a weakness for that sweet goodness!

Now some times we leave room for dessert, and sometimes we walk away.  Mainly because I either ate way too much dinner, or there is some crazy dessert like this Thin Mint Cheesecake Brownie Cake or these Chocolate Lava Cakes already waiting in our kitchen at home.

Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake - layers of peanut butter and chocolate frosting make this the absolutely best chocolate cake. Make this easy recipe for all your parties! #cake #chocolate #homemade #peanutbuttercups #peanutbutterfrosting

But then sometimes we say no to dessert because we can’t justify the price.  Who wants to pay $9 for a slice of soft moist chocolate cake?  

Especially when I know that I can bake an entire homemade chocolate cake for that same price.

I do love a good chocolate cake, so I started looking for the best chocolate cake recipe that I could give a BruCrew twist to for my birthday. Of course, peanut butter had to be involved too.

Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake - This homemade chocolate cake covered in peanut butter frosting and peanut butter cups is the best chocolate cake ever. Make this recipe to see why! #cake #chocolate #homemade #peanutbuttercups #peanutbutterfrosting

As soon as I saw a cake that was called the Best-Ever Chocolate Cake, I knew that was the first one I was going to make and see if it was worthy of the name.  Not that I doubted it was good, but I was very curious to see if it would live up to my particular sweet tooth expectations.  

I have to admit that I have become a very, very picky dessert eater in the last few years.

It was so fun to look at the chocolate cake recipe and see what little tweaks and changes I would make based on how I like to bake.

Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake - a homemade chocolate cake covered in peanut butter frosting and peanut butter cups is the best chocolate cake ever. Make this easy recipe for every birthday party! #cake #chocolate #homemade #peanutbuttercups #peanutbutterfrosting

How to make The Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake:

Make sure to beat the butter until light and fluffy, then add the sugar and beat it again.

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix it one more time.

Stir together the dry ingredients in a bowl and add them alternately with the milk and coffee mixture. Trust me. You will not taste the coffee in this cake. Coffee just enhances the chocolate flavor making it more intense and delicious.

Bake the chocolate cake batter in a 9×13 pan that has been greased very well.  Let it cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then flip it out on a wire rack to cool completely.

Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake - layers of soft moist chocolate cake and chocolate and peanut butter frosting with peanut butter cups is amazing. Make this easy recipe for chocolate lover's! #cake #chocolate #homemade #peanutbuttercups #peanutbutterfrosting

Make a batch of homemade chocolate frosting for the center of the cake layers. Sometimes I switch it up and use this Dark Ch0colate Buttercream Frosting. It just depends what mood I’m in.  Either one is delicious!

Cut the cake in half, making two 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 inch cake rectangles.  Set aside 1/2 cup of the homemade chocolate frosting, then frost the top of one of the layers with the rest of the chocolate frosting. Top it with the other cake layer.

Cover the entire cake with the Best Honey Peanut Butter Frosting. Use the reserved chocolate frosting to pipe a border around the top of the cake with an icing tip 21 or 27.

Add chopped up peanut butter cups to the top of the cake and halved peanut butter cups around the bottom.

Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake - peanut butter frosting and peanut butter cups make this homemade chocolate cake the best cake ever. Make this easy recipe for every birthday party! #cake #chocolate #homemade #peanutbuttercups #peanutbutterfrosting

I do have to admit that this was seriously one of the best homemade chocolate cakes I have ever tried.  In fact, it was so good that it is hands down my new go-to recipe when I want to make chocolate cake from scratch.

So, if you are looking for an impressive dessert to make, this is your cake.  It looks like a lot of work, but it really is very easy to put together.

The best part is that you will getting the entire Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake for the price of one cake slice.  I’d say that is winning at dessert!

Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake - layers of soft moist chocolate cake and chocolate and peanut butter frosting with peanut butter cups is amazing. Make this easy recipe for chocolate lover's! #cake #chocolate #homemade #peanutbuttercups #peanutbutterfrosting

More chocolate recipes you may like:

Three times the chocolate makes these Mini Triple Chocolate Cheesecakes a dream dessert for the chocolate lovers in your life.

These Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bars will get rave reviews when you bring them to parties and picnics.

I love all the chocolate and marshmallow goodness in these Hot Chocolate Cookies.

A graham cracker crust, chocolate pudding, and a marshmallow topping make this Chocolate S’mores Pudding Cake the perfect summer dessert.

A creamy coffee frosting and a layer of chocolate makes these decadent homemade Coffee Cream Brownies a great dessert.

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Yield: 14 cake slices

Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

The Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake has layers of chocolate and peanut butter frosting and Reese's peanut butter cups. It's the perfect dessert for chocolate lover's.

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup cooled strong coffee

For the Chocolate Frosting

  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
  • 1 batch Best Honey Peanut Butter Frosting
  • Peanut Butter Cups

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.
  2. Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until mixed in. Stir in the vanilla.
  4. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir together the milk and coffee.
  5. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk mixture to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
  6. Pour the batter in a foil lined greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Remove and let cool. Cut the cake in half and set aside. You will have two 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 rectangles.
  7. Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a saucepan. Let cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the sour cream.
  8. Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Slowly beat into the mixture. Set aside 1/2 cup of the frosting for later.
  9. Spread the rest of the chocolate frosting on top of one side of the cake. Place the other layer on top.
  10. Cover the cake with the best honey peanut butter frosting.
  11. Add chopped peanut butter cups to the top, and halved peanut butter cups to the sides, if desired. Store in a covered container. Serves 14.

Notes

Recipe adapted from BHG's Best Ever Chocolate Cake

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

14

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 617 Total Fat: 28g Saturated Fat: 15g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 90mg Sodium: 396mg Carbohydrates: 85g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 63g Protein: 8g
© Jocelyn @ Inside BruCrew Life
Cuisine: American / Category: Cakes & Cupcakes
Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake - soft homemade chocolate cake with chocolate and peanut butter frosting is perfect for chocolate lovers. Make this easy recipe for parties and events! #cake #chocolate #homemade #peanutbuttercups #peanutbutterfrosting

 

*The post and recipe for the Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake was first published on February 4, 2015. The photos have been updated and it was republished on April 9, 2019.

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  • Neapolitan Brownie Ice Cream CakeNeapolitan Brownie Ice Cream Cake
  • Salted Caramel Mocha Bundt Cake RecipeSalted Caramel Mocha Bundt Cake Recipe
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Filed Under: Cakes & Cupcakes Tagged With: candy, chocolate, epicurious, homemade, peanut butter, peanut butter cups

« No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Breakfast Cookies »

Comments

  1. Erin @ misscrambledegg.com says

    February 4, 2015 at 6:52 AM

    Jocelyn, this cake looks too good to be true! Everything I love mixed into one delicious dessert! The Reese’s Cups give this cake such a nice touch. I know my entire family would devour this one. Thank you for posting it.

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:11 PM

      Thank you Erin. My family was looking forward to this one…until I decided to share it with some friends. Time to surprise them with another one I think!

      Reply
      • Chrisi says

        July 17, 2019 at 4:31 AM

        Hi could I make this cake in 2 round tins

        Reply
        • Jocelyn says

          July 17, 2019 at 2:12 PM

          I have not tried baking this in 2 round pans, but I think it would work if you used two 8 inch round pans. I’m also not sure on the baking time, so I would start checking the cakes at about 28 minutes and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs.

          Reply
  2. Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom says

    February 4, 2015 at 7:21 AM

    Chocolate and Peanut Butter are my absolute weakness and this does look like perfection! I wish I had a shovel to dig in!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:12 PM

      I cannot be trusted around chocolate and peanut butter! And a shovel would be perfect for this cake 🙂

      Reply
  3. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says

    February 4, 2015 at 7:51 AM

    Haha, I am so like you! ALWAYS check out the dessert menu first. You know, something on it might sound better than ordering “real food” for dinner 😉
    I love that you put Honey PB frosting on chocolate cake. Totally drooling! Pinned!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:13 PM

      hahaha, yes! If a dessert sounds good, then I know I’m only going to order a small dinner 🙂

      Reply
  4. Beth says

    February 4, 2015 at 7:58 AM

    *swoon* I’m in love!!!

    Reply
  5. Tiffany says

    February 4, 2015 at 8:23 AM

    All the layers on this cake are so pretty!! Love the peanut butter cups on top, too!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:13 PM

      Thank you Tiffany!

      Reply
  6. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

    February 4, 2015 at 9:19 AM

    This really does look like the best cake EVER!!! Pinned 🙂

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:13 PM

      Thank you so much for the pin love girlie 🙂

      Reply
  7. Tonia from TheGunnySack says

    February 4, 2015 at 9:27 AM

    Okay, you win…that really is the best chocolate peanut butter cake ever!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:14 PM

      LOL! No, BHG wins…it really was the best ever!!!

      Reply
  8. Jen @ Baked by an Introvert says

    February 4, 2015 at 9:42 AM

    I just want to dive in head first! This cake is everything I love! Pinned!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:15 PM

      Thank you so much for sharing 🙂

      Reply
  9. Julie @ Tastes of Lizzy T says

    February 4, 2015 at 11:11 AM

    Gorgeous cake! I’ve been looking for a homemade chocolate cake recipe. Looks like I’ve found it!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:15 PM

      Oh, definitely try this one…it was so good!!!

      Reply
  10. Kathleen @ yummy crumble says

    February 4, 2015 at 11:19 AM

    I’m so in love. Forget red velvet! This is my kind of cake

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:15 PM

      I agree…bring on the dark chocolate goodness!!!

      Reply
  11. Mir says

    February 4, 2015 at 11:56 AM

    Jocelyn, you have done it. I have had a lot of favorites on your blog, but this is going to take the cake, no pun intended. I am in LOVE. Deep, lasting love. You know I can’t stay away from anything with PB and chocolate!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:16 PM

      Hahaha! I love it! I am with you…chocolate and peanut butter is my biggest weakness!

      Reply
  12. Stephanie says

    February 4, 2015 at 12:39 PM

    I so want to get cake faced with this cake!
    Pinning
    Stephanie

    Reply
  13. Chels+R. says

    February 4, 2015 at 1:40 PM

    Does this ever look incredible!! My goodness-it certainly looks like the best ever chocolate cake with all that peanut butter around it.

    Reply
  14. Cyndi @ My Kitchen Craze says

    February 4, 2015 at 1:45 PM

    This cake looks amazing Jocelyn! I always look at the desert menu first too. I also tell myself not to eat to much because I really want desert, but guess what happens. I eat waaayy to much so I have to forgo desert. Bummer. I agree about the prices and I honestly think our homemade cakes and desserts taste way better. This looks amazing. I’d love a slice right about now. Pinned. 🙂

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:17 PM

      I usually end up doing the same thing at restaurants…but that’s ok because I love trying to recreate their desserts at home! Thanks for the pin love 🙂

      Reply
  15. Best Juicer says

    February 4, 2015 at 3:17 PM

    Peanut butter cups on a cake, winning combination.

    Reply
  16. Jenny Flake says

    February 4, 2015 at 4:55 PM

    WHOA!! This cake looks AMAZING!! Mmmmmm 😀

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:17 PM

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
  17. Nancy says

    February 4, 2015 at 6:54 PM

    I want a piece, no, two pieces, no, the whole cake!!! Yum!!!!!

    Reply
  18. amanda @ fake ginger says

    February 4, 2015 at 7:46 PM

    Yep, I’m pretty sure this is the best chocolate peanut butter cake ever ever ever. I want a piece!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:18 PM

      I totally agree with you! And now I’m wishing I had a big slice to munch on!

      Reply
  19. kita says

    February 4, 2015 at 9:59 PM

    I would TOTALLY save room for this!!!

    Reply
  20. Michelle { A Latte Food } says

    February 4, 2015 at 10:27 PM

    Oh my gosh, this cake. That’s all I can say–it looks that good. Your recipes always look amazing, but this one looks straight up incredible!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:18 PM

      Awe, thank you so much!!! You just made my day 🙂

      Reply
  21. Lisa @ Healthy Nibbles & Bits says

    February 5, 2015 at 2:01 AM

    I would definitely pay $9 for a pice of that! I can’t say no to peanut butter cups on my cake!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:19 PM

      This one would definitely be worth the $9 price tag!!!

      Reply
  22. [email protected] Well Floured Kitchen says

    February 5, 2015 at 7:20 AM

    I can never say no to peanut butter and chocolate! And this cake is over the top amazing! I agree- the prices for desserts have gotten a little bit out of control. Much better to stay home and whip up something like this 🙂

    Reply
  23. Liz says

    February 5, 2015 at 1:34 PM

    What a gorgeous, decadent creation!!! LOVE this cake!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:19 PM

      Thank you Liz!!!

      Reply
  24. Barbara @ Barbara Bakes says

    February 5, 2015 at 3:05 PM

    It does look like the best chocolate peanut butter cake ever.

    Reply
  25. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

    February 5, 2015 at 7:58 PM

    I love how thick and gorgeous this cake is, Jocelyn! Definitely a dessert for pb and chocolate lovers everywhere! Pinned!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      February 16, 2015 at 1:19 PM

      I agree with that! thank you for pinning!

      Reply
  26. Crystal says

    March 31, 2015 at 7:36 PM

    Where did the recipe go? I’ll I see is weird text. I’d love to try this for my husband’s bday in April.

    Reply
    • Jocelyn says

      March 31, 2015 at 7:49 PM

      Hi, Crystal. There was never an actual recipe on my post because of how I had to share it with BHG. You can click through the link that says read more HERE to see the post I did on their site. Or you can email me and I can send you the recipe exactly how I made it 🙂

      Reply
  27. haley says

    November 24, 2015 at 3:48 PM

    this i’m am so going to bake and try

    Reply
  28. KElly says

    February 2, 2016 at 3:26 PM

    So none of the stores in my area sell Dark Cocoa powder, would I be able to use regular cocoa powder as I already have that on hand?

    Reply
    • Jocelyn says

      February 2, 2016 at 7:52 PM

      Yes, you can use the regular cocoa powder. It just won’t be quite as dark, but it will still taste delicious. I hope you enjoy the cake!

      Reply
  29. Jack Jordan says

    April 14, 2016 at 1:49 PM

    I suppose with 9″ round pans the baking time would be close to the same?

    Reply
    • Jocelyn says

      April 14, 2016 at 6:22 PM

      Yes, the baking time for 8 inch or 9 inch pans would be about the same. Just bake them until when a toothpick is inserted it comes out with just a few crumbs on it.

      Reply
  30. Stacy says

    October 23, 2016 at 10:56 PM

    Do I use powdered or confectioners sugar for cake? What kind of flour? How long will this cake keep? I want to make it Thurs or Friday for a birthday party on Saturday.

    Reply
    • Jocelyn says

      October 24, 2016 at 1:29 AM

      The recipe calls for sugar and brown sugar for the cake. Any time you see just sugar, it means granulated sugar. The frosting calls for powdered sugar. I also used all purpose flour for this particular cake. It should keep for a few days as long as you keep it covered. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

      Reply
  31. Sommer says

    April 10, 2019 at 10:23 AM

    This cake is every kind of amazing! Going to make this for my husbands birthday cake.

    Reply
  32. Erin says

    April 10, 2019 at 11:33 AM

    This cake was made for me. I love everything about it and wish I had a slice right now!

    Reply
  33. Julie says

    April 10, 2019 at 11:42 AM

    Chocolate and peanut butter is the best combination! This cake looks heavenly.

    Reply
  34. Becky Hardin says

    April 10, 2019 at 12:20 PM

    This cake!!! The pictures you have in this post look so so good! Yum!

    Reply
  35. Jennifer says

    April 10, 2019 at 3:32 PM

    I made this for my husband for his birthday and everyone LOVED it!!! So good!

    Reply
  36. Linda says

    July 18, 2019 at 5:18 PM

    I will be making this for my grown up son who LOVES peanut butter and chocolate together. Does it matter whether the peanut butter is old fashioned “just peanuts”? Or is something like Jif or Skippy better? Thanks for a yummy sounding recipe!

    Reply
    • Jocelyn says

      July 18, 2019 at 9:07 PM

      I have never tried this recipe using a “peanuts only” peanut butter or a natural peanut butter. The recipe here was tested using Jif, so that is what I would recommend using. I hope you and your son enjoy the cake!

      Reply
  37. Alexis Jackson says

    September 4, 2019 at 9:01 AM

    What kind of coffee do I use?

    Reply
    • Jocelyn says

      September 4, 2019 at 11:04 PM

      You can use any kind of coffee. I usually just use whatever coffee is left in our coffee pot from the morning. I hope you enjoy the cake.

      Reply
  38. Lexi says

    September 13, 2019 at 9:36 AM

    Just made this cake last night, and the frosting tastes delicious. Haven’t tried the whole cake out yet, but will tomorrow.
    Can’t wait to try it out!
    P.S. My cake isn’t as pretty as yours, but hopefully just as tasty.

    Reply

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Jocelyn is the baker, photographer, and writer behind Inside BruCrew Life. She is married to her best friend, and they have three great kids. She spends her days baking sweet treats, and then trying to find ways to give those treats away before eating them all. Grab a cup of coffee and visit while she shares life from their kitchen. Read More…

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