Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake

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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 recipe

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!

Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake
Favorite Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake

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.

Homemade Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake slice

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Watch How To Make It

 

Read Transcript

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Recipe

Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake

  • Author: Lindsay Conchar
  • 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
  • 67 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

  1. 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.
  2. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside.
  3. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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

  1. Combine the butter and peanut butter in a large mixer bowl and mix until well combined.
  2. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  3. Add 3 tablespoons of water or milk and mix until smooth.
  4. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  5. 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Add the next cake layer and top with about 1 cup of frosting. Smooth frosting into an even layer.
  5. 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.
  6. Add the final cake layer to the top of the cake.
  7. Smooth out the frosting on the sides of the cake, creating a thin crumb coat.
  8. Add about 1 cup of frosting to the top of the cake and smooth into an even layer.
  9. 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.
  10. Use an offset spatula to create the stripes around the cake. For guidance, see the video above starting at about 1:40.
  11. Set the cake aside and make the chocolate ganache (see my tips for making chocolate ganache).

Make the ganache and decorate

  1. Put the chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

Categories

Enjoy!

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564 Comments
  1. Cary

    Hi! This recipe sounds delicious and I’m thinking of making it for my family members birthday! Do you think it would taste alright if I used chocolate mud cake for the layers instead ?(as my family adores mud cake) 

    Thanks !

  2. Karen

    Worked great. I split the two layers into four. Baked for 35 min. The cake was a huge hit. My son was over the moon happy with it, even if I forgot the ganache! wish I could post a pic here of how it turned out.






  3. Karen

    I am making this recipe now but I don’t have 8 inch pans. I am hoping two 9 inch will work. Fingers crossed.

  4. Lara Watters

    How thick do these cake layers bake ? I like thick layers – 2 inches or so. Should I multiply the recipe by 1.5 ?
    Thanks !!

  5. Cindy

    The peanut butter chocolate layer cake was AMAZING! I bake ALOT and have tried many recipes, this one is definitely top of the list! I followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfect! Really delicious. Especially the frosting, it was perfect balance of peanut butter flavor but not too sweet.
    Thank you! 

  6. Kathy N.

    Hi Lindsey, thank you for the awesome recipes!! Is there any easy way to print a copy of them so I can have it in the kitchen with me? I don’t have means to view it electronically in the kitchen 🙁 Thanks for letting me know 🙂

    Kathy

    1. Lindsay

      Each pink recipe card has a print button within it so that you can print just the recipe. I hope that helps!

  7. Megan

    So I’m going to make this cake this weekend and I’m nervous about the chocolate ganache. I’ve made it before and whenever I pour it in the cake it just runs down the sides and is super messy.. do you have any tips? 

    1. Lindsay

      I’m not sure what ganache you’ve made it the past, but it depends on the ratio of chocolate to cream. The ratio used here should give you a nice consistency to work with. You can let it cool a bit before using it too, to let it firm up a touch, if it seems like it needs it.

  8. Vivian

    I want to make this cake for my boyfriend’s birthday coming up. Is the peanut butter frosting recipe really sweet and peanut buttery? I’m not too crazy on peanut butter.

    1. Lindsay

      I’d say it’s both sweet and full of peanut butter, though you could reduce the amount of peanut butter and sugar and it’d be fine.

  9. Kim Lester

    I made this cake last night for someone’s office farewell. It was a hit. I chose this recipe because the guy who was leaving told me that he loves peanut butter and chocolate and also, Reese’s is his favorite candy bar.  Well, as I was walking out the door at the end of the work day, he told me that this cake was the best cake he’s ever tasted. Mind you, I bring in desserts at least once a month so he’s had a lot to choose from. 
    I used three 8 inch pans, made a butter/cream cheese peanut butter frosting, topped it with a simple ganache and crushed Reese’s. I was a little concerned about the batter because it was so thin/runny but other people made comments that this was normal and didn’t effect the cake at all…and it didn’t. 
    This is a keeper. 

  10. Belinda

    pictures indicate the frosting is an off-white color.  However, my frosting was much darker.   Also, cake layers thinner than those pictured in the video.  cake layers had to cook 40 minutes.  I plan to make the cake again.  However, any suggestions for the issues I encountered?

    1. Lindsay

      Not sure about the color. It could be the way the photos look, a difference in the settings on your computer screen or even something about the different brands of peanut butter. The frosting generally should be light, but be a little light brown like peanut butter. It would be hard for me to say about the cake layers without being there or having any context. The difference in cooking time could simply be a difference in our ovens.

  11. Maily

    This cake was AMAZING. i made it for my little brothers (he’s 22 so not very little lol) birthday celebration and my entire family was raving about it. They really thought I had went to a good bakery and just claimed it as mine haha. I ended up only having a cup of butter for the buttercream so i cut that recipe in half and i had a good bit still left over. I can’t wait to make again (my family’s requesting me to make it for another birthday lol)

  12. Anastasiya

    I ended up making this cake for my son’s birthday because I couldn’t find chocolate peanut butter cake at any store in our area. I followed the direction and the cake turned out great! My son was in love with it and said it’s his favorite cake ever! I have to say that the frosting had a bit too much sugar for me. And I know that some people like it that way. I made this cake 3 more times and used less sugar in the frosting (2 cups less). And it still turned out perfect and very yummy. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

  13. Sheena

    Thank you for sharing your recipes and cake design I made this tonight and it was a huge hit!  I’ll never use a chocolate box mix again!

  14. Ash

    Just made this today for my partner’s birthday, looks great, yet to taste it as it’s not her birthday till tomorrow. The chocolate ganache needs time to cool down otherwise it is too thin and runs straight off

  15. Katie

    I made this last week and it turned out incredible!! I was so impressed! I made it in two 9in pans and it was perfect 😉

  16. Sammy

    I just wanted to say that I made this for my husband’s work and it was amazing. I got to try the cake after leveling them and it was the best chocolate cake I ever had. The only thing I did differently is I reduced the powdered sugar in the buttercream to 7.5 cups, and consequently the water to 5 TBSP.  This cake looked exactly like the picture and tasted devine! Thanks for sharing 

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I’m the baker, recipe developer and photographer behind Life, Love and Sugar. I love sharing trusted recipes with helpful tips to give you great results.

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29