This Killer Peanut Butter Cake is simply THE best peanut butter cake recipe EVER! Check out all the rave reviews and then experience it for yourself!
BEST Peanut Butter Cake Recipe
Before we get to the peanut butter cake recipe, two things: 1) I need more food props, and 2) to quote my husband, “Every time you use the white table cloth and that plant it looks like something out of a 1970’s cookbook.” It’s sadly true. But it doesn’t change the fact that the cake is downright amazing.
Combine points one and two: No more 70’s food pics. Need. More. Food. Props.
But on to the subject of this recipe post: Peanut butter lovers – this is definitely THE cake for you!
Is it good? Oh, it’s good alright. So good that it comes with a warning label: This peanut butter cake is extremely rich. Killer rich. Like if you eat the whole thing in one sitting you may experience cardiac arrest. And we really don’t want that to happen. So eat in moderation only.
I created this cake by way of request from Elizabeth via the Make a Request! link. She asked me if I would create a peanut butter cake that is “moist, peanuty and delicious,” like the kind she enjoyed from her childhood. I didn’t have any more information than that to go on. Sheet cake or layered? Frosting or glaze? Moist crumb or goopey? So many options. At first I was thinking along the lines of a peanut butter layered cake with a hot honey glaze drizzled over it and left to seep down into the cake, resulting in a super moist, slightly goopey texture. Then maybe even add a layer of peanut butter frosting on top. I may still get around to creating that. In the end I settled for the more traditional version: A peanut butter layer cake with a rich peanut butter frosting. I went for oil instead of butter because oil makes cake nice and moist whereas butter tends to dry it out. Buttermilk also does wonders for creating a soft and moist crumb. So we’ve got both in here!
Note: If you want to cut back on calories (and save yourself some work), bake the cake in a 9X13 cake pan as a sheet cake and make half the amount of frosting to go on top (the “death factor” in this cake lies primarily in the frosting).
Also, for a moister, goopier version, see notes in recipe box. I haven’t actually tried this, merely conceptualized it in my mind, but I think it will work wonderfully :)
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How to Make Peanut Butter Cake
Alright, let’s go to that killer cake!
Combine the brown sugar, oil, and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl.
Beat until combined and add the eggs and vanilla extract. Continue to beat until combined.
In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Alternately add the flour and buttermilk, beating just until combined. Do not over-beat or the cake will be dense and dry. It’s okay if there are a few small lumps of flour.
Grease a 9×3 inch round baking pan and pour the batter in. (I used 9×3 – a 9×2 inch pan should be fine, too). I use the hand-forged aluminum pan by Magic Line, made in the USA. Love it!
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out “moist” – not wet with batter, but moist. Be careful not to over-bake or the cake will be dry.
Let the cake sit in the pan for 5 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely. The cut the cake in half.
Now let’s make the frosting:
Place the peanut butter and butter in a large mixing bowl. Cream the two together until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add the heavy cream a little at a time until the frosting becomes a spreadable consistency. Note: This is a fairly stiff frosting. Be sure to keep it at room temperature or will be stiffen even more.
Note: For a chocolate frosting, simply add a couple of tablespoons of good quality cocoa powder.
Spread the bottom half with frosting, frosting down the sides as well.
Place the top layer on top. Ignore the picture. I accidentally put it on wrong and I didn’t want to try and pick it up again. The top cake layer should have been put on upside down so that the top edges don’t slope down.
Spread the frosting on the top layer and down the sides.
This is where you can now become creative with your cake decorating skills. Piping, crumbled up Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, you name it. My 3 year old was eagerly waiting for me to take him and his baby sister to Petco to see the animals, so I kept it simple.
Another variation: Pour some chocolate ganache over it for some ultra decadence!
Oh, I forgot to mention. I faced a serious challenge here. You’ll remember from my Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies With Nutella Marshmallow Cream Cheese Frosting that I absolutely LOVE the combination of peanut butter and Nutella. I probably stood at my kitchen table staring at this jar of Nutella for a good 10 minutes, debating whether or not to add some to the frosting or maybe swirl some into the batter. Or a swirled peanut butter Nutella frosting… Oh, it was so hard deciding what to do! In the end I decided to stick to the classic peanut butter cake. But I mention this because you may decide to add some Nutella – it’s a delicious option.
Enjoy!
Simply the best peanut butter cake ever! Check out all the rave reviews in the comments below and then give it a try to experience it for yourself!
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Killer Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
- For the Frosting:
- 1 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter (if using regular peanut butter which has lots of sugar in it, cut back a little on the brown sugar)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups powdered confectioner's sugar
- up to 1/2 cup heavy cream at room temperature
- For the Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup coconut oil at room temperature or oil of choice (I use coconut oil). Note: Oil yields a moister cake than butter
- 1/3 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk (can substitute 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice stirred into it. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes then use as recipe directs)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the peanut butter, oil, and brown sugar. Beat until combined and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat just until combined.
- Alternately add the flour and buttermilk to the wet mixture, beating just until combined. Be careful not to over-beat or the cake will be dense and dry. A few small lumps of flour is fine.
- Grease a 9X3 inch round baking pan (I use Magic Line pans)
- Pour the batter into the pan.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out moist (not wet with batter but moist. If the toothpick is dry, the cake is over-baked and will be dry).
- Let the cake sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- In the meantime, to make the frosting, place the peanut butter and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, continuing to beat. Add the heavy cream until you reach a spreadable consistency. (Note: This is a fairly stiff frosting)
- Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally. Frost the bottom half of the cake and down the sides. Place the top layer of the cake, upside down, on top of the bottom layer. Frost the top layer and down the sides.
Notes
*Variation: Add Nutella to the frosting
*Another variation: Pour some chocolate ganache over it for ultra decadence!
susanne Marvin says
This was an excellent cake. I made one change. I whipped the cream for the frosting and then it only needed 1 cup of powdered sugar. It was a wonderful fluffy frosting and was the perfect sweetness. Will definitely make it again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Susanne, thank you!
Ann says
My friends and family loved this cake and the frosting was just right – not too sweet. I drizzled chocolate over the top. I will definitely make again. Thank you
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Ann, thank you!
Bronwyn says
I frosted the interior of half of it with Nutella, the other half with PB (so people could choose – PB/chocolate or all PB flavor). I marked the side of the cake with the Nutella by putting reese’s Pub cups around the outside of that half and salted crushed peanuts on the other half. The entire thing was gone and the recipient said he’d never had a better birthday cake. Thank you for the recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s a great idea, Bronwyn, and I’m so happy it was a hit, thank you!
Barbara Braccio says
I always use 2 —8 or 9 “ cake pans so the cake is higher-do I have to double the batter then? Never used just 1pan for a 2layer cake..
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Barbara, no need to double the batter, you can use the 2 cake pans you have and just put an equal amount of batter in each one. Those two thin cakes will be the two layers. You’ll just need to reduce the baking time. Happy baking!
Sabrina Brackfield says
Can I use this recipe for cupcakes
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yes you can, Sabrina. They’ll need to bake for about 14-18 minutes.
Stewpot says
Very moist cake. I greased the pan and it stuck. I melted the icing. Very peanut butter. Great recipe. I used regular on. Next time I’ll use unsalted. Thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Stewpot, thank you!
Pamela Terry says
Can you use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Pamela, the acid in the buttermilk is needed to activate the baking soda. An easy and effective substitute for the buttermilk is to use 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice mixed in. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then use it as the directions instruct.
Mack says
I made this cake and it turned out AMAZING
The amount of sugar in the cake was perfect but I found the icing to be a bit too sweet. I would definitely cut down the sugar for the icing next time.
Other than that it was divine!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Mack, thank you!
Anne says
Can I use regular peanut butter for this recipe and if so, should I increase the amount of oil?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Anne, yes you can use regular. The only adjustment I would make is to decrease the amount of sugar since regular peanut butter already has a lot of sugar in it.
Rain says
Can i use water instead of buttermilk or will it not activate the baking powder/soda as an acid is needed?
jedbird says
This cake is incredible. I made the cake exactly as instructed, then baked it in two 6″ pans, and it turned out moist, delicious, and full of peanut flavor–my partner says it’s the best cake I’ve ever made. I already had some excellent chocolate buttercream that I wanted to use up and whipped a little peanut butter into that–and of course peanut butter and chocolate are pretty awesome together. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, jedbird, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Kellie says
Would cake flour work for this recipe instead of all purpose flour?
chitchay says
I made this cake today and it was really good. My frosting though looked crumbly. I used regular extra creamy peanut butter. If it gets stuck on my spatula, it lifts up and reveals the cake. Too oily? 😆 Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Keeping the ingredients at room temp is key so make sure the butter is room temp. Also if you refrigerate the finished frosting or iced cake that will also happen.
Shaon says
Well I just made the cake and frosting. Taste tests of batter and frosting are good. Cake not too sweet and frosting just right. Raised beautifully and even in 9 x 13 pan. Hope DIL likes as she requested something sweet with PB!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad, Shaon, I hope your DIL enjoys it also!
Robert Harding says
So I was having a bad a day…I was a little stressed out. Instead of putting 1/3 cup peanut butter in the cake batter, I added an entire cup. And instead of baking in one 9 inch pan, I divided the batter and baked it in two 9 inch pans. When it was in the oven and I discovered my mistakes, I almost pulled them out to toss them in the trash but I decided to forge ahead. As they were cooling, I decided to pull back on the peanut butter when it came time to make the frosting, so I used what was left in the jar – maybe 1/2 a cup? And then I decided to crush some salted nuts to embellish the top of the cake. I mean, at that point, what did I have to lose? Moral of the story? Sometimes mistakes don’t lead to the disasters you think they will and sometimes you CAN make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear because the cake was amazing!!! If the “disaster” cake was this good, I can’t wait to make it as the recipe is written!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Woohoooo!! That’s so awesome, Robert, I’m thrilled it was a success in the end, thanks so much for sharing!