This Peanut Butter Cake recipe is simply THE BEST EVER! But don’t take our 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!
Craving more cake? Be sure to try our popular Old Fashioned Carrot Cake, French Almond Plum Cake, and Limoncello Cake!
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: Â No more 70’s food pics. Â Need. Â More. Â Food. Â Props.
But on to the subject of this recipe post:Â 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 by way of request from Elizabeth via the Make a Request! link. Â 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. Â I didn’t have any more information than that to go on. Â Sheet cake or layered? Â Frosting or glaze? Â Moist crumb or goopey? Â So many options. Â 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. Â Then maybe even add a layer of peanut butter frosting on top. Â I may still get around to creating that. Â In the end I settled for the more traditional version: Â A peanut butter layer cake with a rich peanut butter frosting. Â I went for oil instead of butter because oil makes cake nice and moist whereas butter tends to dry it out. Â Buttermilk also does wonders for creating a soft and moist crumb. Â So we’ve got both in here!
Can I Make This As a Sheet Cake?
Yes! 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 an even more moist, “goopier” version, see notes in recipe box. Â 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. Â 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. Â (I used 9×3 – a 9×2 inch pan should be fine, too). Â I use the hand-forged aluminum pan by Magic Line, made in the USA. Â 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.
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. Â Add the heavy cream a little at a time until the frosting becomes a spreadable consistency. Â Note: Â This is a fairly stiff frosting. Â Be sure to keep it at room temperature or will be stiffen even more.
Note: Â 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’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.
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!
Enjoy!
For more delicious cake recipes be sure to try our:
- 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
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
Dan Keeler says
I have to confess I messed up the recipe a bit by adding a whole cup of PB to the cake mix instead of 1/3 of a cup. Nevertheless (or perhaps because of this) this cake was a huge hit. To give you an idea of how huge, my mother-in-law who hitherto has never liked PB cakes, loves it. “It’s just soooooo peanut-buttery” is the general verdict. Thanks, Kimberly, for making me a baking star!
By the way, I made it in two 1.5″ deep 9″ cake tins and it came out fine – but it was cooked in less than 25 minutes.
The Daring Gourmet says
Haha, that’s awesome, Dan!! A whole cup PLUS all that peanut butter in the icing, woah!! So happy to hear it was such a hit and that you even won over the MIL as a result! :)
Winnie says
This is super-delicious looking cake!!
The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Winnie! :)
Joan says
When I was in school (long time ago) the ladies in the lunch room made sheet cakes that were peanut butter with peanut butter and crushed pineapple frosting. Talk about something good? This was delish.
The Daring Gourmet says
H Joan! I never would have thought of that combination, but that does sound delish!
Rachel Blue says
I have some granular honey, do you think I’d be able to replace half the brown sugar with that? Just looking to lower my sugar intake.
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Rachel, you bet! I regularly bake with honey and it works great – and I love the flavor.
Rachel Blue says
Fantastic! Thanks :) Sometimes trading in liquid honey changes the outcome in a not good way, so nice to know there’s some flexibility there.
I’m planning on pairing it with peanut butter ganache and honey-vanilla ice cream for a home made ice cream birthday cake. Fingers crossed that everything works!
The Daring Gourmet says
That’s true. I’ve have good luck each time I’ve used honey and since you’re only substituting half it should be okay. Ooooooh, your birthday cake creation sounds absolutely AMAZING!! Let me know how it goes!
Beth R says
I would seriously consider doubling the cake ingredients and making a four layer cake…. that would be awesome.
The Daring Gourmet says
Whoa, a double killer, huh?! Oh yes, that would be quite the cake alright – just be sure to call the medics in advance! ;)
Jackie Tuggay King says
OMG – you are absolutely right on the richness of this cake…..I love the frosting but it is so rich….but I still LOVE it……Thank you so much for sharing :)
The Daring Gourmet says
Jackie, I know, right?! So dangerous…but so good!! At least anyone who makes this can’t say I didn’t warn them ;)
Melanie says
Your cakes look so good that you don’t need to use props! (Tell Todd I said that ;)
The Daring Gourmet says
Hello, Melanie, and thank you! You’re an angel for saying so! :)
diamondkids says
This looks amazing, something for the weekend! :)
The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, diamondkids, and thanks so much for visiting!
Bill Curren says
This cake is great! I think the the icing may need some fine tuning, probably a technique thing on my part, the icing got greasy a bit and even separated while in the bowl. But beyond that, greatness even from someone that never bakes cakes. I did try the glaze too. It adds a nice flavor, but it is kind of sandwichy.
Thanks for the recipe, I will be doing others of yours soon.
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Bill! I am so flattered that despite not being a cake baker you decided to make this! :) You know, the greasiness factor most likely has to do with the peanut butter not having been adequately stirred. Natural peanut butter is extremely oily and requires a lot of stirring – it can be a bit of a beast to work with. But I am so happy you liked the cake and even happier that you’re planning on making more or my recipes!! I look forward to your feedback!
carrie estell says
made this cake for my husband’s birthday, everyone loved it! Used my own peanut butter frosting for the top and sides, along w/ chocolate frosting for the in-between layers and poured a chocolate ganache on top! WONDERFUL! Thanks, this is going to be a keeper…
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Carrie! Thanks for making this cake and for your feedback! The ganache sounds wonderful!
Kelly says
If I were to split the cake into two separate cake pans instead of one pan and cutting it, do I need to adjust the baking time? Thanks!! I only have short cake pans!
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kelly! Yes, you’d need to reduce the baking time by a few minutes. Check the cake after 20 minutes with the “toothpick” test and continue to bake as necessary until the toothpick comes out clean but moist. Good luck and be sure to let me know what you think once you’ve tried it!
Christina says
I made this cake yesterday. My nine inch pans were not deep enough so I had to split the batter between two pans. I used Jif. It’s the only peanut butter for my family. The cake looks great. It’s yummy, but was a little on the dry side for my taste. I don’t think splitting the batter made the difference. I checked frequently to avoid over baking. I also made sure not to over mix the batter during preparation. Overall, it’s still an awesome cake.
James says
Hi Kimberly! I understand that the dry ingredients are sifted together but I’m curious to know how you measure your flour. A cup and a half sifted, spooned or scooped out of the bag? Thanks
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi James! I measure the flour in the measuring cup first and then sift it with the baking powder/soda.
James says
Hello again! Before you replied I went ahead and spooned the flour into the measuring cup. 170 grams of flour is what I ended up with. I made this for my wife’s birthday and we took it to her mothers house. The reviews were excellent. Thanks for sharing this. My wife, Frannie, has requested this for her birthday next year. I might dip into the nutella next time. Thanks again and have a great weekend!
James
The Daring Gourmet says
James, I’m SO happy to hear it was such a success! Thanks so much for making it and I really appreciate your feedback!
Lora says
If I were to use “regular” (not unsweetened) peanut butter, how much should I cut back on thecsugar!
Lora says
Please excuse typos – IPad keyboard is frustrating. ;- ).
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lora and great question! For the cake itself I’d say cut back by about 1/4 cup. For the frosting you can cut back even more on the powdered sugar, but will need to use less heavy cream accordingly (add it slowly until the desired consistency is reached).
jess says
thank you so much for this recipe! i used it to make pb&j cupcakes (the recipe will make 30, baked @ 350F for 15 minutes); after the cupcakes cooled i filled their centers with strawberry jelly, then iced each one with your pb frosting and topped them with chopped peanuts and a couple of strawberry slices. awesome!
The Daring Gourmet says
Jess, that sounds fabulous!! Thanks so much for your feedback and for your creative cupcake ideas! I’d love to eat one of those cupcakes right now!!
Stefanie says
I just made this cake and it really is KILLER! The only change was that I made it with a plain cream cheese frosting. It was seriously perfect. Not too sweet or too savory, very moist and had great texture. I will definitely be making this again….oh and it totally won over my boyfriend and his mom!
The Daring Gourmet says
Hello, Stefanie! AWESOME!! I’m so happy it was such a success! Thank you for your feedback, I really appreciate it. And congratulations on the “big win”! ;)