Peanut Butter Cup Cake

This is NOT a cupcake. I wrestled with the title of this post, because this cake needs to bear the name of my absolute favorite food in the world - the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. This is a peanut butter cup...wait for it...cake. Not a peanut butter cupcake. Now, onto the recipe!

When dreaming up this cake, I wanted to use my favorite Cocoa Frosting and stay true to a peanut butter cup: luscious peanut butter coated with creamy chocolate. Thus, this variation on basic yellow cake was born, Peanut Butter Layer Cake. Naturally, I had to add peanut butter cup pieces to the cake as well. When I tried the cake the first time, there just was not enough peanut butter flavor to compliment the chocolate frosting. How did I fix this? I added more frosting! Is there such a thing as too much frosting? My Peanut Butter Cream Frosting brings all the flavors in the cake together in the perfect balance of peanut butter and chocolate, inspired by the masterfully crafted Reeses Peanut Butter Cup! I´ve said this before and will say it again- HOW can they not sell these in Europe?

After the Peanut Butter Layer Cake has cooled completely, place one layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread with a generous layer of Cocoa Frosting.

 

Roughly chop a dozen mini peanut butter cups.

Scatter the pieces on top of the frosted cake layer.

Top with the second cake layer and frost with remaining Cocoa Frosting. Dump the frosting on top of the cake, then gradually work your way outward, smoothing the frosting toward the edges and down the sides of the cake with an uneven spatula.
 

If you want a polished final product, dip the spatula in hot water and run along the sides of the cake to smooth the frosting. This step is purely aesthetic. The cake will taste the same either way!
 

Chop a few more peanut butter cups and scatter on top of the frosted cake. 

Prepare a piping bag (or resealable plastic bag with a corner cut off) and fill with the Peanut Butter Cream Frosting. 

Pipe the frosting as desired on the top and around the base of the cake. Piping frosting around the base of a cake is a great way to hide mistakes and little imperfections at the base of a cake. The professionals do it too!

 

Cut into the cake and share Reeses peanut butter chocolate perfection with your family and friends!

Cocoa Frosting

In my house growing up, each member of the family had a unique birthday cake. It was their cake baked for them on their special day. Call it birthday induced egocentrism manifested in pastry form. It is one of my favorite family traditions. My dad was carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, my mom was angel food covered with soft, white peaks of 7-minute frosting and drizzled with bittersweet chocolate. My two sisters were yellow cake with cocoa frosting and pound cake with sweet cream and berries, respectively. But my cake was and is chocolate through and through. Chocolate layer cake with cocoa frosting. I've had this cake every year on my birthday as long as I can remember. Last year, I decided to deviate from my chocolate, chocolate cake with a toasted coconut layer cake with coconut cream, and I'm not kidding, my cake collapsed. It was like the cake gods were telling me to not mess with a good thing. (I like to blame this cake mishap on a higher power, rather than my shortcomings as a baker) Well cake gods, I got the message. It's chocolate cake with cocoa frosting for me from here on out!

This recipe is very simple. 10 minutes, five ingredients, one bowl, and pure chocolate heaven! Just make sure your butter is at room temperature before you get started.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa and powdered sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add cocoa and powdered sugar mixture to the butter. The frosting will look very dry and clumpy at this point. Add the milk, 1 Tbsp at a time, until frosting reaches spreadable, smooth consistency. Scrape the sides of the bowl and whip with the mixer speed on high for 1-2 minutes more. 

There you have it! Frost a cake, cupcakes, or spread on graham crackers.

Cocoa Frosting 

recipe by Sweet & Savory

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter, room temperature

3 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup cocoa

4 cups powdered sugar 

8 Tbsp milk 

Directions:

    

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together cocoa and powdered sugar. 

With the mixer on low speed, add cocoa and powdered sugar mixture to the butter. The frosting will be clumpy and dry at this point. Add milk, 1 Tbsp at a time, until frosting becomes smooth and spreadable. You may not use all 8 Tbsp.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and beat for 1-2 minutes more. This recipe yields enough frosting for a 2 layer cake with extra for spreading between a few graham crackers.