Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
The BEST dessert combination: Chocolate and Peanut Butter! Ultra moist homemade chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. This 9×13 cake recipe is a classic.
We often get requests for this chocolate peanut butter cake. And we’re happy to oblige because…1.) It’s easy…. and 2.) It’s one of our favorites too!
Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
If you’re looking for a delicious dessert recipe to take to a potluck or party, this chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting is it! Everything is made 100% from scratch and the flavor proves it. You’ll be the star of the show by sharing this dessert with your friends.
The BEST Chocolate Cake Recipe
This cake starts with a chocolate cake base. This is the cake that we’ve used for our black forest cake, german chocolate cake, dark chocolate cake and raspberry cake. It turns out perfectly every single time and is the BEST from scratch cake I’ve ever made. Yes I realize that’s a lot of absolutes. But yes, it’s that good.
How do you make a homemade chocolate cake?
Here are some hints:
- Mix the dry ingredients first, then set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients (all but the coffee) together. We like to use a stand or hand mixer to make sure everything gets combined well.
- Use buttermilk. We recommend buying buttermilk from the store, but if you can’t get to the store, make your own buttermilk by adding 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to a cup of milk. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then use the homemade buttermilk in the recipe.
- Mix the dry into the wet.
- Add the coffee.
**Pro Tip: “Do I have to add coffee?” If you are 100% against coffee, you can use hot water instead. But coffee makes chocolate cake have a more intense flavor so we highly recommend using coffee.**
How do you make peanut butter frosting?
Homemade frosting is easier than you think! The key is to start with room temperature butter. If it is too melty, the frosting will have a weird texture. If it is too cold, the butter won’t mix in well.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until blended.
- Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and beat until completely blended.
- Add in the remaining cup of powdered sugar. Beat for 1 minute.
- Test the frosting and if you need another tablespoon or two of heavy cream to make the frosting spreadable, add it in.
- Beat for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Does peanut butter icing need refrigerated?
Frostings with butter in them should be sealed well and refrigerated.
How do you store cake?
Because this frosting has butter in it, it is best to refrigerate the cake if you will have it for more than 24 hours.. Make sure it is covered well so the cake doesn’t dry out.
Other Peanut Butter Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Reese’s Cake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake
- Nutter Butter Cake
TOOLS TO MAKE THIS CAKE
- Stand Mixer: A hand mixer will work, but I always find it easier to make frostings with a stand mixer.
- Beater Blade with Scraper: The best invention ever!
- Straight Icing Spatula: The long straight spatula makes it easy to smooth frosting.
- Wire Cooling Racks: This will help your cakes cool more quickly.
Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
The BEST dessert combination: Chocolate and Peanut Butter! Ultra moist homemade chocolate cake with a creamy peanut butter frosting. This 9x13 cake recipe is a classic.
Servings 15
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup freshly brewed strong hot coffee
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup salted butter (softened)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For the cake, put flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix well.
- In a stand mixer, mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla together. Slowly add in the mix of dry ingredients while the mixer is on low. Add the coffee and make sure everything is combined. The batter will be very thin.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when you touch it.
- Allow the cake to cool on a cooling rack. While the cake is cooling, make the frosting
Make the Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until blended.
- Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and beat until completely blended.
- Add in the remaining cup of powdered sugar. Beat for 1 minute.
- Test the frosting and if you need another tablespoon or two of heavy cream to make the frosting spreadable, add it in.
- Beat for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- *Add in ½ teaspoon of vanilla if desired.
Assemble the cake:
- Use a spatula to spread the peanut butter frosting on the cooled chocolate cake.
- Sprinkle with chopped candies if desired.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 465kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 464mg | Potassium: 251mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1.7mg
Cake was a huge hit! My father in law’s favorite is chocolate peanut butter. Could I make this cake in 2 round pans? If so, what temperature and time?
I’m haven’t actually made this one But the Hershey chocolate cake and Ina Gardens chocolate cake is extremely close to this and taste wise it was delious. My guess is that I will have the same issue if I try and make this one as. I did the other 2times. I separated the cake into 2 pans so I can layer it. The cake was cooked all the way. I left the cakes out to cool and for some reason the cake fell in the middle both times. I’m afraid to try and make this cake in fear this will… Read more »
I might be missing it, but scanned over the recipe again and don’t see what temperature to bake the cake at in the oven. I am baking it at 350 but wanted to be sure- thanks!
I made just the chocolate cake portion of this receipe and took it for my co-workers to enjoy. OMG, they all raved about how moist this cake was. This will be my “go to” recipe for chocolate cake forever! Thank you so much for the recipe. I used a vanilla whipped frosting (homemade of course) and the contrast was amazing.