Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Filling

The first is Smitten Kitchen’s chocolate peanut butter cake, which is actually a chocolate cake with peanut butter filling and peanut butter frosting which is then drizzled with chocolate peanut butter glaze. Decadent, visually appealing, rave reviews across the board. The second option is Bon Appetit’s peanut butter cake, which is truly a peanut butter cake with a chocolate peanut butter filling. Also decadent, visually appealing, and well-received. The decision was agonizing. So agonizing, in fact, that exactly 19 hours before my statistics final I decided that it was absolutely necessary that I bake samples. So I made tiny portions of both cake batters, and combined them with peanut butter, melted chocolate, chocolate chips, and each other in ten different cupcakes.

The chocolate was super moist, got better a day later, and had that slight tang that devil’s food cake has.  I don’t even like chocolate cake and I loved it.  The peanut-butter was drier, but it tasted just like a really good peanut butter cookie in the form of a cake, which was really my initial goal. Favorite cookie, favorite meal, favorite color, etc. – and so I knew it had to be in the cake.  I briefly toyed with a marbled cake but the flavors didn’t stand out from one another in the cupcake, or a layer of each, but the textures were to different for it to be coherent.

Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Filling

For the Filling

• 1 c. half and half
• 3/4 c. heavy cream
• 1/4c. + 2 TBS light brown sugar
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 9 oz bittersweet chocolate

Bring half and half, cream, and brown sugar to simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly.  Once simmering, remove from heat, and whisk in chocolate until mixture is smooth.  Allow to stand for one minute, then whisk in peanut butter until mixture is smooth.  Chill for 2-4 hours.

For Frosting

• 12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 c. powdered sugar, divided
• 6 TBS butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 c. heavy cream, chilled

1. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 c. powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla until smooth.
2. Beat heavy cream and remaining 3/4 c. of powdered sugar until medium-firm peaks form.
3. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until evenly combined.  Chill for at least 2 hours.

For the Cake

• 2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 10 TBS butter, softened
• 2/3 c. peanut butter
• 2 1/2 c. light brown sugar (1 lb.)
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/3 c. buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Butter two 9-inch cake pans.
2. In medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together to combine.
3. In large bowl whisk peanut butter and butter together until smooth.  Add sugar and beat until smooth.  Add eggs 1 at a time and incorporate into batter.
4. Add flour mixture and buttermilk to peanut butter in 3 additions, alternating and ending with a buttermilk addition.
5. Pour batter into pans, distributing evenly.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely before assembly.

Assembly

On a wide plate or cake platter, place the first layer of cake.  Spread with layer of chocolate filling.  Place second layer on top of chocolate filling, pressing gently.  Frost cake with cream cheese frosting.  Chill cake until 1 hour before serving.