The Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake has layers of chocolate and peanut butter frosting and is decorated with Reese’s peanut butter cups. It is the perfect dessert for chocolate lover’s.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
How to assemble a chocolate layered cake:
- 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.
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!
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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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.
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
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick baking spray.
- Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again.
- Add the eggs one at a time and beat until mixed in. Stir in the vanilla.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir together the milk and coffee.
- Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk mixture to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Cut the cake in half and set aside. You will have two 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 rectangles.
- Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a saucepan. Let cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the sour cream.
- Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Slowly beat into the mixture. Set aside 1/2 cup of the frosting for later.
- Spread the rest of the chocolate frosting on top of one side of the cake. Place the other layer on top.
- Cover the cake with the best honey peanut butter frosting.
- 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: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 617Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 396mgCarbohydrates: 85gFiber: 3gSugar: 63gProtein: 8g
*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.
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.
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!
Hi could I make this cake in 2 round tins
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.
Chocolate and Peanut Butter are my absolute weakness and this does look like perfection! I wish I had a shovel to dig in!
I cannot be trusted around chocolate and peanut butter! And a shovel would be perfect for this cake 🙂
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!
hahaha, yes! If a dessert sounds good, then I know I’m only going to order a small dinner 🙂
*swoon* I’m in love!!!
All the layers on this cake are so pretty!! Love the peanut butter cups on top, too!
Thank you Tiffany!
This really does look like the best cake EVER!!! Pinned 🙂
Thank you so much for the pin love girlie 🙂
Okay, you win…that really is the best chocolate peanut butter cake ever!
LOL! No, BHG wins…it really was the best ever!!!
I just want to dive in head first! This cake is everything I love! Pinned!
Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Gorgeous cake! I’ve been looking for a homemade chocolate cake recipe. Looks like I’ve found it!
Oh, definitely try this one…it was so good!!!
I’m so in love. Forget red velvet! This is my kind of cake
I agree…bring on the dark chocolate goodness!!!
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!
Hahaha! I love it! I am with you…chocolate and peanut butter is my biggest weakness!
I so want to get cake faced with this cake!
Pinning
Stephanie
Does this ever look incredible!! My goodness-it certainly looks like the best ever chocolate cake with all that peanut butter around it.
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. 🙂
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 🙂
Peanut butter cups on a cake, winning combination.
WHOA!! This cake looks AMAZING!! Mmmmmm 😀
Thank you 🙂
I want a piece, no, two pieces, no, the whole cake!!! Yum!!!!!
Yep, I’m pretty sure this is the best chocolate peanut butter cake ever ever ever. I want a piece!
I totally agree with you! And now I’m wishing I had a big slice to munch on!
I would TOTALLY save room for this!!!
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!
Awe, thank you so much!!! You just made my day 🙂
I would definitely pay $9 for a pice of that! I can’t say no to peanut butter cups on my cake!
This one would definitely be worth the $9 price tag!!!
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 🙂
What a gorgeous, decadent creation!!! LOVE this cake!
Thank you Liz!!!
It does look like the best chocolate peanut butter cake ever.
I love how thick and gorgeous this cake is, Jocelyn! Definitely a dessert for pb and chocolate lovers everywhere! Pinned!
I agree with that! thank you for pinning!
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.
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 🙂
this i’m am so going to bake and try
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?
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!
I suppose with 9″ round pans the baking time would be close to the same?
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.
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.
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.
This cake is every kind of amazing! Going to make this for my husbands birthday cake.
This cake was made for me. I love everything about it and wish I had a slice right now!
Chocolate and peanut butter is the best combination! This cake looks heavenly.
This cake!!! The pictures you have in this post look so so good! Yum!
I made this for my husband for his birthday and everyone LOVED it!!! So good!
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!
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!
What kind of coffee do I use?
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.
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.