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This Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake recipe is made with layers of moist chocolate cake, peanut butter frosting and chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups! It’s rich, delicious and so fun!
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Layer Cake
While taking some photos yesterday of a cake, I was reminded of something that the hubs regularly tells me and demonstrates through fearful looks my way – I am one photo away from seriously injuring myself. One of the tables, counters or chairs I stand on to get just the right angle will one day not cooperate the way I want and I will fall and either break the camera I’m holding or some part of my body. It’s bound to happen.
I have a three step stool that I use all the time for overhead shots or something that’s at a more dramatic angle than I can achieve just by standing. Yesterday, I was standing on that stool taking photos and teetered and tottered a bit while stepping down from the top stair. Then I was in the kitchen taking some photos and didn’t feel like walking to the other room to grab the step stool so I grabbed a chair. I stood on the seat and started to sit back on the back rest to get the angle I wanted and suddenly realized I was starting to tip backwards. Luckily I realized it before it was too late and caught my balance. I was dangerously close to falling back into the wall and onto the dog bowl stand (with sharp corners).
Who knew food blogging carried such job hazards?! Not to mention the extra calories that come along with it. 😉 I suppose it’s worth it when I share cakes like this one. I’m so in love with it!
How to Make Peanut Butter & Chocolate Layer Cake
The cake starts with moist, delicious layers of chocolate cake. I used my Easy Moist Chocolate Cake from a couple weeks ago in layered cake form. It truly is such a moist cake and so easy! You basically mix the dry ingredients, then wet ingredients, add them together, then add the hot water at the end. One of the quickest cake batters to make and hard to mess up.
Between the layers and covering the outside of the cake is a peanut butter frosting. On top of the frosting between the cake layers are also chopped Reese’s – every peanut butter and chocolate lovers favorite, am I right? They take the peanut butter flavor up a notch and I’m a fan.
After the cake is covered with frosting, ganache is drizzled down the sides and covers the top. The stripe pattern on the sides of the frosting creates a neat ripple effect in the drizzled ganache. Then I added more Reese’s and frosting – for good measure. 🙂 The final cake is not only delicious, it’s SO fun! I was in love with the look of it! If you’d like to recreate the same thing, check out the video just above the recipe to watch what I did.
You might also like:
Peanut Butter Chocolate Buckeye Cupcakes
Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cheesecakes
Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Icebox Cake
Peanut Butter Truffle Chocolate Cake
Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Cake
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake
Watch How To Make It
Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 47 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake recipe is made with layers of moist chocolate cake, peanut butter frosting and chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups! It’s rich, delicious and so fun!
Ingredients
Chocolate cake
- 1 3/4 cups (228g) all purpose flour
- 2 cups (414g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) hot water
Peanut butter frosting
- 2 cups (448g) salted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (350g) peanut butter
- 9 cups (1035g) powdered sugar
- 6–7 tbsp (90-105ml) water or milk
- 6 reeses, chopped
Chocolate ganache and topping
- 6 oz (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
- 8 reeses, cut in half
- Crumbled reeses
Instructions
For the chocolate cake layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare three 8 inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper in the bottom.
- Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside.
- Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.
- Slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
To make the frosting
- Combine the butter and peanut butter in a large mixer bowl and mix until well combined.
- Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add 3 tablespoons of water or milk and mix until smooth.
- Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add remaining water or milk and mix until smooth, keeping an eye on the consistency of the frosting so it doesn’t get too thin.
To build the cake
- Use a large serrated knife to remove the tops of the cake layers so that they’re flat. See my tips on how to level a cake and how to stack a cake.
- Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or cardboard cake circle and top with about 1 cup of frosting. Smooth frosting into an even layer.
- Add about half of the chopped Reese’s on top of the frosting and press into the frosting. Spread a small amount of frosting on top of the Reese’s so that it’s sticky on top for the next cake layer.
- Add the next cake layer and top with about 1 cup of frosting. Smooth frosting into an even layer.
- Add remaining half of the chopped Reese’s on top of the frosting and press into the frosting. Spread a small amount of frosting on top of the Reese’s so that it’s sticky on top for the next cake layer.
- Add the final cake layer to the top of the cake.
- Smooth out the frosting on the sides of the cake, creating a thin crumb coat.
- Add about 1 cup of frosting to the top of the cake and smooth into an even layer.
- Frost the cake using my tutorial for a smooth cake. Stop just before using the paper towel, which won’t be necessary with the pattern on the sides of this cake.
- Use an offset spatula to create the stripes around the cake. For guidance, see the video above starting at about 1:40.
- Set the cake aside and make the chocolate ganache (see my tips for making chocolate ganache).
Make the ganache and decorate
- Put the chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl.
- Microwave the heavy whipping cream until it just begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- Use a squeeze bottle or a spoon to drizzle the chocolate around the edges of the cake, then fill in the top of the cake and smooth it with an offset spatula. See my tips for making a chocolate drip cake.
- Allow the ganache to firm a bit, about 10 minutes, then top with swirls of the remaining frosting. Use a piping bag fitted with a closed star tip. I used Ateco tip 844, but Wilton 2D or 1M would work as well. Then top with additional Reese’s chopped in half, and Reese’s crumbles.
- Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature. Cake is best for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 1097
- Sugar: 112.1 g
- Sodium: 774 mg
- Fat: 61.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 133.4 g
- Protein: 13.9 g
- Cholesterol: 109.8 mg
Enjoy!
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Loved this recipe! This Is the first time I ever made a later cake and it turned out great! I only had 9 inch round pans and baked them for 30 minutes. they collapsed a little in the middle but we’re cooked all the way through and tasted great! The frosting was a little sweet for me but o think a 3rd layer of cake would have balanced it out. Thanks for such a delicious and easy go follow recipe. I got compliments all night!
This cake looks so delicious that I want to make two of them! I’m hoping to make one today and one next week. Do you think the cake and the frosting can be frozen and thawed?
They should be fine to freeze, just make sure to wrap the cakes well and thaw in the fridge.
Hi! Which piping tip did you use for the frosting decorations on top?
Ateco 844
How long will the frosting last in the fridge after it’s made? I made so much I would like to use it on another cake in a few days. Thank you!
Can you use 2 9 in pans? Would baking time change? To prepare pans, you only cover the bottom with parchment paper and spray just the sides? No need to flour the pans? Do you recommend spraying the sides or using shortening to grease? Very excited to make this cake!!!
The baking time would likely be similar, I’d just keep an eye on it. And no I don’t use flour, just parchment and baking spray. I use Bakers Joy brand spray. I hope you enjoy the cake!
I made this cake this past weekend and it was a huge hit!! Thank you so much for sharing! And your video was so helpful. I made a sheet cake so I made 2 batches of cake, each with 2 9×9 square pans. I used a full 9×9 and laid about 2/3rds of the 2nd one next to the first (probably about 14 inches long total). A few things to note that may help others… If you intend to double the recipe, the frosting makes a lot, so depending on your mixer size, you may need to make one batch twice. The frosting wouldn’t all fit in my kitchen aid mixer (from the 90s!) so I had to separate it. I used 7 cups of powered sugar instead of all 9 for one batch. For the two batches, I had 16 cups of frosting. I used about 12 cups total. Not sure what size frosting tip you used, but I know I used the largest one I had, maybe it’s a 2F? The smaller tips didn’t look right. Hope this helps! Thank you again for this awesome recipe and presentation!! Beautiful!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your tips! I used an Ateco 844 tip – I definitely like my big piping tips!
This looks amazing! Love the video tutorial, too! I plan to make this next weekend as a sheet cake for a friend’s birthday. (Will bake 4 9×9 pans and lay the cakes side by side.) Do you think I should do 1.5 times the frosting recipe or double it? Thank you for posting, will definitely check out more of your cake recipes!
Hmm, not entirely sure. It’s a fair amount of frosting, so if you’re just doing one cake layer, you might be fine with the amount listed.
Hello! I’m making this cake this morning and was wondering if you let the butter for the icing get to room temp before using or if you use it cold right out of the refrigerator?
Thanks!
Yes, room temperature butter in the frosting.
This looks amazing! I cannot wait to make this for my husbands 35th Friday this Friday!! I know he will love it!
I loved this cake! Could I use the batter for cupcakes or is it too runny?
Glad you enjoyed it! And yes, you can use it for cupcakes.
Is the batter runny in general? How’s is the consistency supposed to be?
Yes, the cake batter is quite thin.
Lindsay, I have now made two of the cake recipes you have posted. This one, for my husband’s birthday tomorrow, and the “Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake” in February for my daughter’s birthday. Both have been/are amazing, so moist and delicious, with layers (excuse the pun) of flavor, and a perfect balance of flavor without being over the top sweet.
Your instructions and tips, along with the videos have been so helpful. Thank you so much for the recipes and the terrific help in giving me the ability to show my family love through some pretty spectacular cake making. Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much Joann! Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed everything!
This is my favourite chocolate cake recipe. Never added hot water to a cake before – do you have other recipes like this? I’d love to try other flavours. I made this for my 50th two years ago and just made it for a friend’s birthday. Your video instructions make assembly so easy and I was able to make mine look just as beautiful.
Glad you enjoyed it! I have q good number of chocolate cakes on the site that use this base. Another popular one is my Raspberry Chocolate Layer Cake.
I made this as a birthday cake for a nurse I work with and it was a huge hit with the staff. Even the custodian asked if he could have a piece even though he is “not a cake person.” I have to say, I opted not to ice the sides of the cake, just between the layers and the top. The frosting is incredibly sweet and I think enough to cover two cakes in entirety! I will be making it again as I already have three requests for this cake!
Awesome! So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Made the cake for my super picky husband and he LOVED it! I am not a big chocolate cake fan but the cake was delicious! I was wondering if you have any strawberry cake recipes ?
There are a few options, depending on what you’re looking for.
Strawberry Cheesecake Cake (you could always leave out the cheesecake layer)
Strawberry Layer Cake (fresh strawberries)
Strawberry Cucpakes
Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
There are some other options as well. Just do a quick search and you should be able to check them out. 🙂
https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2017/06/23/easy-strawberry-cheesecake/
Try this too :0) You can make it all year round. I’ve made this since the recipe was published and it’s always a hit.
I only have 9″ round cake pans. Could I just do two 9″ rounds stacked?? How would the baking times differ?
You can. I haven’t made this particular cake as 9 inch rounds, so I’m not sure exactly. I’d guess around 30 minutes.
I’m making this and using 9” round baking pans, your guess is cooking it for 30 minutes?! Thank you!
Are you using three 9 inch pans? If so, the layers will be thinner, so they’ll need less baking time than the 8 inch recipe calls for.
I’m going to make this cake for my husband’s birthday. Can you tell me if you use natural peanut butter or a sugary brand – like Skippy?
Thanks!
I always use a regular brand since natural brands can often separate.
This was delicious! I made it last night and the cake was moist and held it’s form. I hate when cakes are crumbly and fall apart, and this all stayed firm on the fork. The frosting made wayyyyy too much but I saved the leftovers to use later. I used half salted and half unsalted butter (I misread the amount and didn’t buy enough salted), but it was still perfect. I don’t usually leave recipe reviews, but this was excellent. I will definitely make this again!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Made this cake and loved it!! I was wondering how you got your peanut butter cups chopped up so fine? Thanks!
I made this cake for our January monthly office birthday lunch and it was a big hit! I usually make a different cake each month, but now I have been requested to make it again for our March lunch! Can’t go wrong with Peanut Butter and Chocolate!