Description
Rich chocolate peanut butter cake melds classic American dessert flavors into a delectable layer cake. Dense chocolate layers complement creamy peanut butter frosting, creating an irresistible treat you’ll want to share with friends.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Prepare workspace by heating oven to 350F (175C) and preparing two 9-inch round cake pans with grease and flour coating.
- Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, whisking flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly integrated.
- Incorporate wet ingredients into dry mixture, adding eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract, blending until ingredients are completely unified.
- Carefully stream boiling water into batter, stirring continuously to create a smooth, thin consistency.
- Distribute batter evenly between prepared cake pans, ensuring balanced coverage.
- Place pans in preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick that should emerge clean when inserted into cake center.
- Allow cakes to rest in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire cooling rack for complete temperature reduction.
- Create peanut butter frosting by whipping peanut butter and butter until creamy and well-blended.
- Gradually fold powdered sugar and cream into butter mixture, mixing until achieving a light, fluffy texture. Incorporate vanilla for enhanced flavor.
- Apply frosting between cake layers, covering top and sides with smooth, even strokes, decorating as desired.
Notes
- Check cake doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean with minimal crumbs for perfectly moist texture.
- Sift dry ingredients to eliminate lumps and ensure even distribution, creating a smoother cake batter.
- Use room temperature eggs and milk for better incorporation and a more consistent cake texture.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 37 mg