I feel like it has been forever since I posted a cake recipe, the only one that was on my blog before now was my Velvety Vanilla Birthday Cake.
I decided to mix this recipe up a bit by having two chocolate cakes and two peanut butter cakes. I also used chocolate buttercream to sandwich the layers together and peanut butter buttercream on the outside. Along with a peanut butter drip. Hello heaven!!!
To make the cakes I used four 8” round cake tins, if you use larger tins you might find that they bake quicker and aren’t as thick as the ones in my pictures. If you use smaller tins, you might have super thick cakes and they might take longer to bake.
I find the loose bottomed cake tins the easier to bake cakes in compared with spring form tins that I use to make cheesecakes like my Millionaire Cheesecake.
I made each mixture separately, if you prefer you could make all chocolate or all peanut butter cakes by doubling the amounts in the recipe.
For the Peanut Butter elements, I used and would recommend Smooth Peanut Butter just because if you use crunchy especially in the buttercream then it will make it so much harder to pipe and to make the outside of the cake smooth.
Again, you can use all chocolate buttercream or all peanut butter buttercream to decorate the cake. I just thought why not go all out and get as much chocolate and peanut butter in this cake as I can.
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I hope I have explained clearly enough how to cover the cake and how to smooth the icing. It can be quite hard to explain. If you have any questions then you can email me at aspoonfulofvanilla@outlook.com.
The drip for this cake was a bit of an experiment and I am so glad it paid off. I made it using white chocolate, peanut butter and double cream. I put all three ingredients in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave on 20-second bursts until the chocolate had melted. I then stirred it until all the ingredients were incorporated and poured it into a piping bag.
You can either use a small round piping nozzle to pipe the drip, you could cut the tip of the piping bag like I did, or you can even use a squeeze bottle to get the drip perfect! It is the perfect topping for this cake it is deeeeelicious!
For the top of the cake, I used a Wilton 1M Piping Tip to create the swirls and then decorated with Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, you could also use Reeces Pieces.
I haven’t made a video for this recipe. I actually made it before Christmas so quite a while ago and completely forgot all about it until I was looking through photos on my camera and rediscovered it. I am so happy I did because look how delicious it looks!
I do try and make these recipes as easy as possible so that everyone can attempt them no matter their baking ability. If you would like any help or have any questions regarding this or any other recipe on my blog please email me at aspoonfulofvanilla@outlook.com and I will be happy to help.
Also if you have any recipe suggestions for the future I am currently working on some amazing Easter Recipes then please also let me know, either in the comments below or by email.
This cake should last 2-3 days in an airtight container if it even lasts that long and will serve between 12-16 people.
Shopping List
For the Chocolate Cake
200g Unsalted Butter or Stork
200g Caster Sugar
200g Self-Raising Flour
35g Cocoa Powder
4 Large Eggs
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1tsp Baking Powder
30ml of Whole Milk
For the Peanut Butter Cake
200g Unsalted Butter or Stork
200g Caster Sugar
200g Self-Raising Flour
200g Smooth Peanut Butter
4 Large Eggs
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1tsp Baking Powder
100ml of Whole Milk
For the Chocolate Buttercream
450g Icing Sugar
250g Unsalted Butter NOT Stork
50g Cocoa Powder
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1-3tsp Whole Milk
For the Peanut Butter Buttercream
350g Icing Sugar
150g Smooth Peanut Butter
175g Unsalted Butter NOT Stork
1-3tsp Whole Milk
For the Peanut Butter Ganache
100g White Chocolate
100g Smooth Peanut Butter
200ml Double Cream
To Decorate
Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups
Method
For the Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the over to 180C (160C Fan). Line four 8” round cake tins and leave to one side.
- In a bowl mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the cocoa powder, flour, eggs, vanilla, baking powder and milk and mix until completely combined.
- Spoon the mixture into two of the cake tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer entered into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
For the Peanut Butter Cake
- Once you have taken your chocolate cakes out the oven leave them to cool and make the peanut butter cakes
- In a bowl mix together the butter, sugar and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add in the flour, eggs, baking powder and milk and mix until completely combined.
- Spoon the mixture into two of the cake tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer entered into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
For the Chocolate Buttercream
- Once all four cakes have cooled make the chocolate buttercream.
- In a bowl mix together the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla until combined. If you find the mixture is a bit thick then add in a teaspoon of milk one at a time until it is the desired consistency.
- Place one of your cakes on a plate or turntable. I alternated my cakes, but this is completely up to you. Cover the top of the cake with the chocolate icing. I found it easiest to put the chocolate buttercream into a piping bag with a large round nozzle and pipe it onto the top of the cake, but this is completely up to you.
- Once you have covered the top of the cake add the next cake on top and repeat until all cakes have been stacked. DO NOT put chocolate buttercream on the top of the cake you will cover the top cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream.
For the Peanut Butter Buttercream
- In a bowl mix together the icing sugar, butter, peanut butter until combined. If you find that the mixture is a bit thick then add in a teaspoon of milk one at a time until it is the desired consistency.
- Using a palette knife smooth the buttercream around the sides and on top of the cake. Then using a cake smoother smooth the icing. If you have any gaps, then fill this in with the buttercream and smooth again. Until the sides and the top of the cake are completely smooth.
- Any buttercream that has come off the cake place back into your bowl. You will use this later to decorate the top of the cake.
For the Peanut Butter drip
- In a heatproof bowl add the white chocolate, peanut butter and double cream and place in the microwave on 20 second bursts, stirring in between to make sure that the chocolate doesn’t burn and is completely melted.
- Once the mixture is completely melted, stir to ensure that all the mixture is incorporated and place it into a piping bag either with a small round nozzle or once you have put the mixture into the bag cut the tip of the bag off.
- Go around the top edge of the cake with the peanut butter mixture and encourage it to drop down the sides. I do this by ensuring that the end of my piping bag is half on half off the edge of the cake and squeezing it gently.
- Once you have gotten a drip around the edge of the cake pipe the left-over mixture onto the top of the cake and smooth.
- Pop the cake in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to allow the drip to cool and harden.
For the Decoration
- Place the leftover peanut butter buttercream in a piping bag I used a Wilton 1M Piping Tip and piped the icing on top of my now dry drip.
- I then finished the cake off with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, both milk chocolate and white chocolate but you can use any you fancy.
Suppliers
Self-Raising Flour – I use a supermarket own brand.
Butter – For the cake batter I use Stork, however for the buttercream I use a supermarket own brand of unsalted butter.
Caster Sugar – I use Silver Spoon
Cocoa Powder – I use a supermarket own brand
Vanilla Extract – I used Neilson Massey
Baking Powder – I use Dr Oetker
Peanut Butter – For this recipe, I used Reese’s
Icing Sugar – I use Silver Spoon
Decoration – I used Reece’s Peanut Butter cups both Milk and White Chocolate.
Phew, that was a long post!! If you make any of my recipes use #aspoonofvanilla on social media so I can see all the deliciousness! If you have any recipe suggestions or any comments good and bad about this post and others on my blog, then you can either leave them in the comments section below. You can also find me on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest or you can email me at aspoonfulofvanilla@outlook.com.
Oh my, this looks absolutely amazing! Chocolate AND peanut butter, what could possibly be better than that! I’m trying to be more creative with my baking and trying different cupcakes but this cake is something I could only dream of making! Thank you for sharing the recipes, I’m craving a slice of that delicious cake right now <3 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
Peanut Butter and Chocolate is one of my favourite combinations. My advice for baking would be experminet as much as you can, if it goes wrong there will always be a way to salvage it!
This cake looks AMAZING! Can you please recommend a baking link to convert the grams to ounces for those of us who are math challenged? 😊 I think this cake would be an excellent birthday gift.
Sorry it is not in ounces the best thing I use for conversion is google. I literally just search from grams to ounces and it gives me a conversion. I put the amount in in grams and it tells me it in ounces.
That looks absolutely delicious!!!
Thank you!
This sounds like something I would devour in seconds!!
Looks beautiful too!
Thank you
Thank you!
Omg!!! This looks delicious. I am going to have to make it for my family. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy if you do make it!
Looks delicious! Going to have to give this a try in the future.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it if you do make it
This looks too yummy! And it a actually seems quite easy to do. Especially for a non-Baker like me 😂 But I’m sure I can try this out!
It is super easy you should definelty give it a try! I hope you enjoy it if you do!
Ooo man this looks so good!!! Very yummy!!
Thank you!
This looks so delicious. This is a perfect birthday cake for our friend who is obsessed with Reese’s!
Thank you! This would be perfect for your friend!
Wow! This looks divine!!!
This looks delicious!!!
Thank you!
Your cakes always look amazing and deeeelicious Keep them coming I love chocolate and Reese’s will pin on Pinterest
Thank you lovely!
Wait. White reeses cups are a thing? Where you getting these from? I’ve never seen them, this could be my new favourite thing.
They are! If you are in the UK I’m sure you can get them from Sainsburys or Tesco also you can normally get big boxes of them from Amaozon and Ebay too! They are one of my favourites!
I will be hunting for them, the next time I’m in Sainsbury’s 😃
Oh yumm another gorgeous recipe! Chocolate and peanut butter is such a great combination x
Thank you!
I’m pretty sure I’m drooling all over my laptop. Since moving to Europe where peanut butter is so unbelievably hard to find, I have only been eating it plain, so as not to waste any, but this is worth it – more so since I finally found a supplier that sells buckets of peanut butter, so I’m no longer hoarding as much. I can’t wait to make this!
I hope you enjoy it if you do make it! It definetly is worth raiding your peanut butter stores for!
Well now all I need in my life and self isolation would be complete … for a few days anyway!
What an incredible talent you have, I can’t bake to save my life but I’d give eating this a good go!
Thank you! I hope you enjoy them!
Oh my word, looks absolutely amazing. I’ll have to try it in the coming weeks. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I hope you enjoy!
My sisters favorite birthday cake is chocolate with peanut butter frosting! Her birthday is this month so I’ll have to pass this to her to try – I don’t think she’s ever had a peanut butter cake!
Peanut Butter Cake is delicious! I hope your sister has a lovely birthday and enjoys this cake if she makes it!
Oooo you are killing me with this cake,I’m trying to eat less sugar and then your cake pops up 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
I’m sorry! Haha
Chocolate and peanut butter are two of my favorite things so I definitely need to give this recipe a go! Thanks for sharing it!
I hope you enjoy if you do make it!
Wow! How yummy does that look, I bet it tastes amazing. You can’t beat peanut butter and chocolate combination!
Thanks for sharing!
Aimsy xoxo
Aimsy’s Antics
Oh wow! This looks absolutely amazing and so pretty I wouldn’t even want to cut into it for a slice. YUM!
https://justlivejoy.com/organize-right-now-while-you-have-time/
Thank you!
wow that looks so good
This looks delicious! I need to try this.
Thank you!
This looks so delicious! My husband wants me to try this for his birthday! I’ve never made anything so pretty!
Thank you! Oooh I hope you both enjoy it! I am sure it will look beautiful!
This is soooooo up my alley. I could eat a jar of PB no problem. I’m gluten free but I’m willing to experiment to try this. Thanks for sharing.
You could switch out the ingredeitns for GF alternatives that way you still get to enjoy it without the experimentation!
Oh wow this sounds so luxurious! You can’t go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter – dreamy!! x
https://www.femaleoriginal.com
Thank you lovely!
This looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing this, I’m definitely gonna try this in my birthday!
I hope you have a lovely birthday and you enjoy the cake!