Peanut Butter Cup Cake
Today, I turn 34 years young, and I have the most serious of serious questions to ask. Does this mean I’m now in my mid-30’s? If the answer is yes, don’t tell me. It dumbfounds me to think that at 34 years old, my mom already had a 9-year-old and a 7-year-old. I barely feel like a grown-up, save for the mortgage payments and general responsibilities that come with not being 18 anymore.
If time is going to keep on moving, we might as well welcome it with open arms and some phenomenal cake, right? I have had this cake on the brain for months, but decided to shelve it and save it for my birthday. I couldn’t think of anything more perfect for me than an overdose of chocolate and peanut butter to the highest degree.
I basically took my favorite chocolate cake, my favorite peanut butter frosting, tons of peanut butter cups, and smooshed it all together into one of the most fabulous cakes I have made to date.
For someone who could eat chocolate and peanut butter for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this cake is a dream come true.
The cake is the same one I used for my Snickers cake last year; do you remember how much I went on and on about how it’s the best chocolate cake ever?
Well, it’s still the best chocolate cake ever.
Case closed.
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The peanut butter frosting is a double batch from my chocolate-peanut butter cupcakes, and I love it because it’s silky smooth, super peanut butter-y and not at all too sugar-y. I would love to just eat it from a bowl with a spoon. However, I’ll settle for it on this cake along with tons of chopped peanut butter cups, because, of course, there needs to be peanut butter cups.
I plan to spend my birthday relaxing, going to a hockey game, and eating a ridiculous amount of dessert.
That’s what birthdays are for, right?
One year ago: Italian Easter Pie
Three years ago: Tiramisu Cupcakes
Four years ago: Easy Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Six years ago: Slow Cooker Beef Burgundy
Watch How to Make the Peanut Butter Cup Cake:
Peanut Butter Cup Overload Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2½ cups (312.5 g) + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (86 g) + 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) salt
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1½ cups (360 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1½ cups (355.5 ml) strong black coffee, hot
- ¾ cup (163.5 ml) vegetable oil
- 4½ teaspoons (4.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
For the Peanut Butter Frosting:
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 2 cups (516 g) creamy peanut butter
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) kosher salt
- ⅔ cup (158.67 ml) heavy cream
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ¾ cup (178.5 ml) heavy cream
- 30 miniature peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped, divided
Instructions
- Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper, grease the parchment, then flour the insides of the pans, tapping out excess; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer (or large mixing bowl if you’re using a hand mixer), sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for an additional 20 seconds (the batter will be very thin).
- Divide the batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pans in the oven. Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs), about 12 more minutes. Cool the cakes (in the pans) on wire racks for 20 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
- Make the Peanut Butter Frosting: Place the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the heavy cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth (do not overbeat).
- Assemble the Cake: If your cakes baked up uneven or have domed on top, level off the tops. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Cover with 1 cup of the peanut butter frosting and sprinkle 10 of the chopped peanut butter cups over the frosting. Top with a second cake layer and cover with another 1 cup of the peanut butter frosting, and top with another 10 chopped peanut butter cups. Place the final cake layer on top face-down. Frost the cake with the remaining peanut butter frosting, finishing it as smoothly as possible. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour, until the frosting is set.
- Make the Chocolate Ganache: While the cake chills, make the chocolate ganache. Place the chocolate in a 4-cup measuring cup; set aside. Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and warm until it just comes to a boil. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Begin whisking the mixture in the center, gradually working your way outward until the ganache is completely smooth. Set aside to cool, whisking occasionally, until it has thickened slightly, yet still a pourable consistency.
- Garnish the Cake: If the ganache was mixed in a bowl, transfer it to a 2-cup measuring cup. Slowly pour the chocolate ganache into the center of the cake, letting it push itself outward and flow over the sides of the cake. Top with the remaining 10 chopped peanut butter cups. Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes, giving the ganache a chance to set up. Keep the cake refrigerated, removing it from the refrigerator about 20 minutes prior to serving.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Hi Michelle,
I was wondering if you could tell me the nutrition values of the cake?
Thanks!
Unfortunately, I do not have them calculated, but there are many free resources online where you can input a recipe and get the nutritional value. I think a popular one is MyFitnessPal.
Made I think today for my wife’s 39th bday. Turned out great. Wish I could post a pic! Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome James! What a wonderful husband you are, and happy birthday to your wife!
Hi I just made this cake for an office birthday and I was very careful with the measuring. But the cake overflowed all of the oven in the first 20 minutes. Is the 1 tablespoon of baking soda correct or do you know what else would have gone wrong.
Hi Nathalie, The baking soda measurement is correct. Are your pans at least the standard 2 inches high? That’s the only thing I can think of that might cause the batter to overflow. I’ve made this chocolate cake dozens of times and have never had an issue.
Hi! I have made this cake countless times and absolutely love it! I was wondering if it can be made into a 9×13 layered sheet cake? I know you have a recipe for chocolate sheet cake, but I prefer dutch chocolate for a deeper flavor. However, this cake has a pretty delicate crumb, in my opinion, so I’m not sure it would lend itself well to be a rectangular cake. Thoughts?
Hi Daniela, I haven’t made this in a 9×13 pan, so I couldn’t say for sure, but I do think the texture would be okay!
Amazing. Made it over the weekend for my daughter’s 13th birthday.
The whole family are peanut butter dessert fanatics. This was a HUGE hit. My wife pointed out that it tasted like a funny bone and I agreed, but much much better.
I would highly recommend.
Michelle, your recipe has made a baking STAR with my family and friends. I think I have made your recipe about 10 times now. Thank you, thank you for sharing. I was wondering if you have ever made this cake in a 9×11 pan, and if so, how did you adjust your recipe and the baking time. I have been asked to make this cake for a 60th birthday party and I wanted to make if more like a sheet cake. Thanks for your advice.
Hi Kim, That’s awesome! I’m so glad this has been enjoyed so much! I think this is too much cake batter for a 9×11 pan. You might need to go to a traditional half sheet of 13×18 for this amount of batter. You’ll of course need to reduce the baking time quite a bit if you go that route. Enjoy!
This cake is AMAZING. I made it for a friend’s birthday and immediately had requests to make it again. I’m currently doing a cupcake version, and another full cake will be made tomorrow. It’s dense and decadent- not for the feint of heart!
Made this cake for my partners birthday and it was amazing. Such a hit at our gathering – we were handing it out to all the people in the bar who were eyeing it up.
Only place I went a little wrong was letting the ganache cool a bit much. It still was pourable but it was too far gone to really flow off the the cake.
I also used chunky PB because it was what we had in the cupboard and it was really great – depends on what you are into.
Can this recipe be used to make cupcakes?
Hi Stephanie, I have not tried it, but I do swear by these particular chocolate cupcakes (minus the ganache center): https://www.browneyedbaker.com/best-chocolate-cupcakes-recipe/. Perhaps you could use them to recreate a cupcake version of the cake!
Excellent recipe. I think it is even better the second day!
Made this cake for my sons birthday. Huge success. Nothing but compliments. The cake was so moist….Had to cook for about ten minutes longer but the cake was perfect. Already having people request I make this again. ..Cut into thin slices a very rich and decadent cake
Could you please convert this recipe into ounces or grams. Thank you.
I’m very new to baking but decided to jump in with this cake over the weekend—it was excellent! One tip I received from a more experienced baker was minding the temperature of the coffee so that the eggs don’t cook. Overall, the flavors were awesome. I loved the chocolate cake, which was very moist—I’ll definitely try the chocolate recipe with other frostings as well.
Hello! I am making this cake tonight for a party tomorrow. How would it keep overnight? Should I put it in the fridge, or on the counter? I was also a little confused about the bake time. How long after the initial 20 minutes? Thank you! I can’t wait to make this!
Hi Anna, You can definitely keep it on the counter once the ganache has set; if you keep it refrigerated, just let it come to room temperature before serving. After the initial 20 minutes, it is about 12 minutes. Enjoy!!
The peanut butter frosting was more than I could bear, but the cake itself was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had; I’d definitely make that again, omit the frosting, and ice it with just the ganache. In fact, I’m going to try that today, using Frango mints in the ganache. Merry Christmas!
Hands down the best chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. I have made this cake several times with different icings and inevitably everyone asks me for this recipe telling me it is the best chocolate cake they have ever had as well..
YAY! So awesome to hear! Thank for stopping back to share your review!
Im not really a coffee lover …if i leave the coffee out do i need to replace it with something else?
Hi Karen, I don’t like coffee either, but it plays a pretty significant role in some chocolate recipes, as it helps to really enhance the flavor. You can’t taste it in the cake at all. If you really don’t want to use it, you can substitute water, but the chocolate flavor will be less rich and intense.
AMAZING…….my husband loved it!!!!
Can you make this without the coffee? I assume it adds some moisture and richness but would rather not use it for the kids. Any ideas?
Hi Amy, The coffee really helps with moisture and enhancing the chocolate flavor. If you’re concerned about serving to kids, I would just recommend using decaf.
This is the best cake my family and I have ever tasted!! I could eat the PB icing and the ganache by the bowl full… but I resist temptation! This is the cake we bake for our family birthdays throughout the year. I’ve also baked it for friends and their kids, for their birthdays and I give out the recipe a lot. Since peanut butter is my 19 year old son’s favorite food, he was so happy that I discovered this recipe! Thanks so much! We love it!
You’re welcome! So thrilled that your family has been enjoying this cake!
This may well be the best cake I’ve ever had.. and I’ve made a lot of cakes as a baker/pastry chef over the years. I’ve been having peanut butter cravings so I went on the search for a chocolate/peanut cake recipe and stumbled across this recipe. It’s a bit labor intensive, but the result is so worth it! All of the components balance so perfectly from the texture of the firm but moist chocolate cake, to the light peanut butter mousse complemented by the smooth ganache. I was a bit hesitant about a ganache poured on top of a mousse (also that ganache would generally just make the cake too rich) but I was delightful proven wrong. This recipe is a masterpiece and I can’t wait to make it again!
Hi Susanna, I’m so thrilled that you enjoyed all of the aspects of this cake! Thanks for stopping back to share a review!
I think the baking soda measurement is incorrect- I’ve made this twice- and it is outrageous!!!- but the TABLESPOON of baking soda I believe causes the cakes to oveflow out of the pans in the oven. It’s happened twice to me. Anyone else? I also used 9in cake pans as I didn’t have 3 x 8. Not sure how all the batter would fit into 8in?
Hmmmm I’ve used this chocolate cake recipe literally countless times for tons of different cakes, always in 8-inch pans, and I’ve never had it overflow the pans, so I don’t think the baking soda measurement is incorrect. I’ve had dozens of people make and review this cake, as well as others using this same chocolate cake recipe, and I’ve not heard of the batter overflowing.
Thanks Michelle- I also wanted to say the cake truly is amazing! Everyone always compliments it and the flavors/richness are beyond compare!!… i’ll continue to check my oven temp/calibration. I agree- I see all the reviews and no one else having this problem has me perplexed. Perhaps it’s an altitude issue as i live in denver.
I’m a big fan of your website and I’ve made numerous recipes (all with great success) but I feel I have to leave a review for this cake because it is INSANE! I made it for my chocoholic friend last night and she said it was the best cake she has ever had – and beautiful on top of that! I did have to change it slightly because my veg oil went rancid so I used melted butter instead and I didn’t have 8 in round pans so I use two 9 in round pans and halved the layers to make a 4 layer cake but it was still delicious & stunning! Thank you for posting this greatness!!
Awww so awesome to hear you gals loved it!! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop back and share a review!
Substitue for coffee? Don’t like its flavor!
Hi Nita, You can’t taste it in the recipe (I’m not a coffee fan, either), but it really, really helps to enhance the chocolate flavor. If you must skip it, substitute water.
Just want to say that I love the chocolate cake component in this recipe, and have used it more times than I can count in the last nine months as I experiment with my own baking business.
For my last order I needed two decorated cakes for an event, one gluten-free. I tried a number of gluten-free recipes and did not like the texture. I finally decided to try the King Arthur cup-for-cup gluten-free flour mixture in this recipe–and success! The texture is different, but not in an unpleasant way, it just seems like rich fudgy-ness. I froze the layers completely before frosting them, and I think that helped because they might have been too soft. I was worried they would be soggy when they thawed, but nothing bad happened at all. Many people were able to enjoy a tasty and pretty cake by just switching out the flour in this recipe.
Thank you for sharing your best chocolate cake! Love your whole page!
Hi April, Thank you SO much for letting us know about the gluten-free flour conversation, I’m sure that will be so helpful for so many!
Hi there! May i omit coffee?
Hi Shah, The coffee really helps to amplify the chocolate flavor, so I generally don’t recommend omitting it (if caffeine is the issue, you can use decaf), unless you absolutely have to for dietary or religious purposes. If so, then you can substitute water.
Have you ever used Natural creamy peanut butter? I didn’t have regular creamy peanut butter so used Skippy Natural creamy peanut butter instead..
To me, It tasted too much peanut butter. Maybe because it is ” Natural” one????
Do you use regular peanut butter, correct?
Thanks
Hi! I don’t ever use natural peanut butter for baking, as it can be too oily. I always use “regular” peanut butter.
Can I make on a Sunday evening to take to work on a Monday?
Yes, absolutely!!
PEANUT BUTTER CUP OVERLOAD CAKE
Could you please tell me what peanut butter cups are as I have never seen them in Australia. Is there an alternative please?
These are peanut butter cups: https://www.hersheys.com/reeses/en_us/products/reeses-peanut-butter-cups.html
There really wouldn’t be a substitute, although you could use your favorite chocolate/peanut butter candy.
Thanks for sharing this recipe I’ve made it 3 times now and it’s one of the best chocolate cake recipes I’ve tasted! My son loves it. Quite difficult to concert cups to grams at first but the results are well worth it! X
Does the cake have a strong coffee flavor? I want to make it for my teenage sons, so I don’t want a strong coffee flavor.
Thanks!
Hi Jill, It does not have a strong coffee flavor at all, it just enhances the chocolate flavor. And if you’re concerned about caffeine, you could certainly use decaf.
Thanks! I am making it right now!