Chocolate & Peanut Butter Reese's Cake

Ok so I am a little late posting this but things got a little hectic and busy before I left for vacation. My sister's birthday was a few weeks back, I called her a few days before her bday dinner and asked what dessert she wanted. She isn't the greatest with decisions so I brought her my recipe book and collection of desserts I have been waiting to make and let her thump through it. She picked a few but several of them had to do with peanut butter and chocolate. So I knew that's really what she wanted. You see I HATE peanut butter....not a little but literally the smell makes me gag! Haha so she was a little hesitant to ask for this combo. But since I am a wonderful sister I went ahead and made this for her! Also another way to not eat or even try a dessert....bake something you don't like!



I got most of my inspiration from Annie's Eats but went with a different peanut butter frosting. I decided to take it up a notch and make Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting. (When I told my sister, I think she started to drool :) )



Chocolate Peanut Butter Reese's Cake inspired by Annie's Eat's, cake from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan and Frosting from Sky High

For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ( I used Hershey's)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled ( I used Ghirradelli)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2, 9 inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper and butter again. I used Pam with Flour here and it worked out perfect!

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Place aside.

In the mixer bowl (using the paddle attachment), beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and soft. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 mins, until thoroughly combined with butter. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating after each addition for about a minute. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2. (Beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix each addition only until blended . Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate, folding in using a spatula.

Divide the batter between the cake pans.

Bake for 26-30 minutes. (Mine was actually ready in about 23 mins) The cake feels springy to the touch and starts to pull away from the sides. Transfer to wire racks to cool for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cake, pull off paper liners. Cool to room temperature.


Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting from Sky High

10 ounces cream cheese, at room temp
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
4-5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2/3 cups smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand. ( I used Jif)

In a large bowl using the electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy for about 3-4 mins.

Add the peanut butter and beat until blended.

For decorating: I used Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, cut in halves and cut into pieces. Freeze about 30-45 mins prior to use.

Adding the halves to the top and bottom of the cake.


A view from the top during decorating

Add cut up pieces of the Reese's to the top of the cake
This picture isn't very good, but it was the last slice I had leftover. So since I don't like peanut butter, I didn't taste this cake. But everyone else seemed to love it! I guess it was a hit since I didn't have much leftover to take a picture with. Enjoy! Print This