BEST Peanut Butter Cake
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This Peanut Butter Cake recipe is simply THE BEST EVER! But don’t take my word for it, check out all the rave reviews and then experience this cake for yourself! The ultimate cake for peanut butter lovers, both the cake and the frosting are positively LOADED with peanut butter flavor!
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. 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 in 2013 by way of request from one of my readers, Elizabeth. 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!
How Do I Make A Peanut Butter Sheet Cake?
If you want to cut back on calories (and save yourself some work), you can 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 an even more moist, “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 :)
Peanut Butter Cake Recipe
Let’s get started!
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).
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.
Then 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. At the time 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 may have seen my Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies and know 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.
This is 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!
And for all of you peanut fans out there, you absolutely MUST try these Boiled Peanuts, a Southern classic!
Enjoy!
For more delicious cake recipes be sure to try my:
- Caramel Pear Walnut Cake
- Old Fashioned Carrot Cake
- French Almond Plum Cake
- German Cheesecake
- Dundee Cake
- Limoncello Cake
- Rhubarb Streusel Cake
- German Apple Cake
- Orange Buttermilk Cake
- Sticky Toffee Pudding
- German Plum Cake
- Cherry Marzipan Streusel Cake
- Chocolate Almond Quinoa Cake
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BEST Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
- 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
- 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 (can use less if preferred)
- up to 1/2 cup heavy cream , at room temperature
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.
- To Make the Frosting: In the meantime 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!
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet April 19, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Cooking time for 8″ round cake pan?
P.S. – Made the 9″ version already – it was a hit A+++ (THANKS)
8″ fits better in my old cake carrier.
Terrific, J.J.! You’ll probably need just a few extra minutes longer of baking but I’d still check it around the same time using the toothpick test. Then if needs be you can always let it bake a little longer.
I made this cake twice and doubled the recipe so that I could make a taller layered cake. I used one 9×2 inch and one 9×3 round cake pans. My problem came with the cake baked in the 9×3 round. The batter filled the pan to slightly more than one half full. Each time the cake fell badley in the middle when I opened the oven door to check after 30 mins. The middle of the cake was not done but I removed it as the sides began to pull away from the sides and I didn’t want them to dry out. On the last try I even used a center heating core. The 9×2 rounds came out just fine. I was able to put together a couple of layers, frosted it and it is now awaiting a coating of ganach. I used veg. oil, as that was all I had. Should I have been using something more solid like shortening? Just wondering your thoughts. I have plenty of scraps to make some cake pops. Of course I couldn’t resist testing some frosted cake scraps and this cake is wonderful! I made this for my son who’s main “go to” is peanut butter.
Hi Karen, I’m sorry to hear about the sinking center. No, shortening is not needed. It’s a very common baking problem and there are numerous reasons that could be the cause. If you Google “why did my cake sink in the middle?” you’ll find countless articles on the subject. In any case, I’m glad the two 9×2 rounds were a success and coating it with a ganache sounds perfect. And cake pops are also a perfect way to have put those scraps to use! :)
May I know if this cake needs to be refrigerated?
Hi Cheryl, not as long as it’s eaten with a couple of days. Any longer than that I’d recommend keeping it in the fridge.
I just made this cake for my son’s 18th birthday. What a wonderful recipe. Everybody wolfed it down. Three generations of family give two thumbs up.
Feedback can’t get any better than a three-generational double thumbs up! That’s terrific, Emma, I’m so happy to hear it – thank you!
Hi I really need to make this cake fir my grandaughters 18th. She loves peanut. Problem being I’m in UK. Each time I try to to convert to grammes I come up with conflicting amounts for each ingredient. Different site give different amounts. Can you please help. I will be really greatful. Thank you
Hi Chris, I don’t have the amounts in grams and my attempt to convert them would be the same as yours. I would use one of any of the multiple sites that make the conversion process easy – you simply enter the quantity of each ingredient and it converts it into grams for you. Just Google “convert ingredients into grams” and you’ll see several sites come up.
By the way, for whatever it’s worth, I made the icing less sweet to compensate for the candy.
M
I want to report back regarding final results of my cake. It
was a huge hit. I froze the layers and was worried about the
results. No problem at all. I wrapped in plastic wrap and put
them in 9 inch layer pans for protection. I made two 8 inch
layers so they fit perfectly and were protected from damage
in the freezer. I made a cream cheese peanut butter icing
because my family is crazy for cream cheese icing. I crushed
up chocolate peanut butter cups and put them in the middle
layer on top of the icing. I decorated with M and M peanut
candies. I now have two more family members who
want this cake for their birthdays. The small indentation
that came from pulling one of the layers out too soon was
lost in the icing and had no effect. I’m not
nuts about peanut butter cakes, but my family is pretty fussy
about their cakes, so this cake is a keeper, for sure. Thank
you very much!
That’s fantastic, Mary Ann! I’m so glad this was a hit and that you’ve gotten repeat requests. The cream cheese peanut butter ice sounds wonderful and the peanut butter cups are a great touch. Thanks so much for the feedback!
Just a cautionary note. I followed the directions to the letter
and especially the part about testing the cake so that it comes out
moist, but not dry in the middle. One layer was fine. The other
layer tested as moist, not wet…no batter came out, but sunk in the middle.
It was not quite done. Next time when it looks like that,
I’ll put it back in for another couple minutes.
Hi Mary Ann, if one layer turned out fine and the other didn’t my guess is it has to do with how the cake pans are positioned in the oven. Depending on how even the temperature circulation is throughout the whole oven, baking the layers on two different oven racks (one on top of each other) can mean one layer needs to bake longer or less than the other.
I agree. That’s true. But what was confusing is that in the recipe
it says to check that no batter comes out….it didn’t. It appeared done
by that description but perhaps because the cake is very moist,
that is not quite enough. My hunch at the time was to put it back
in for a few minutes, but I didn’t because again, that directive
threw me off. The next time I make it I would aim for just a touch
more of “dryness.”