CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE
This cake can be made with packaged cake mix or your favorite chocolate scratch cake. This is a 3 layer cake, so if you use a packaged cake mix, make sure you use 2 boxes. Below is a really tasty scratch cake.
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup good quality baking cocoa
2-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 cup whole or 2% milk
½ cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup very hot water (or coffee)
PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
2 cups salted butter, room temperature
1-1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
9 cups of icing sugar
6-7 tablespoons of milk
6 Reese’s, chopped
CHOCOLATE GANACHE AND TOPPING
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or good baking chocolate
½ cup heavy whipped cream
8 Reese’s, cut in half
Reese’s crumbled
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray or shortening and flour. Line the bottom of the pan only with parchment or wax paper.
Place all dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and beat on low speed until well combined.
In another bowl, combine milk, oil, vanilla and eggs, beating until well combined.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until smooth.
Slowly add the hot water to the dough and mix on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Divide the dough between the 3 prepared molds.
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, remove from pans and let cool completely.
Icing: Cream the butter and peanut butter, add about half the icing sugar and 3 tablespoons milk, beating until well combined. Add the remaining icing sugar, beating until fluffy. Add more milk if necessary, but be careful not to make the frosting too thin.
Make sure the cakes are level for stacking. Otherwise, level the top with a sharp serrated knife.
Location 1st cake layer on a cake platter or plate. Spread about 1 cup of frosting on this layer.
Sprinkle a small amount of crumbled Reese’s over the frosting and press into the frosting. Don’t use too many Reese’s Pieces or the next layer won’t stick to the 1st layer.
Add the next cake layer and repeat with the frosting and Reese’s.
Add the final cake layer on top of the cake.
Carefully frost the sides and top of the cake, smoothing as you go to create a nice, even frosting.
Reserve the cake and make the chocolate ganache. Microwave whipped cream in a heatproof bowl until it begins to boil; Add the chocolate chips. Let sit 2 to 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache firm up a bit, about 10 minutes. Carefully pour over the top of the cake. Let it firm up slightly in the refrigerator before decorating the top of the cake.
