Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting
This peanut butter cake is sure to become a family favorite! The recipe is super-simple, and that fudge-y milk chocolate frosting is the perfect topper!
Is there any flavor combination more beloved than peanut butter and chocolate? I cannot imagine a one. Yet somehow, in almost four years worth of recipes on this site, I have neglected to post a peanut butter cake with chocolate frosting recipe.
That all changes today, my friend.
Today, that wrong gets righted.
This peanut butter cake is sure to become a family favorite. It’s moist and peanut-butter-y, and so simple to make it’s practically foolproof.
It’s based on my Even Simpler, More Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes recipe, which, if you haven’t tried it yet, boy are you in for a treat. I’m talking moist, fluffy cupcakes with tons of vanilla flavor and the most perfect dome. And best of all, you’ll only have one bowl to wash.
I decided to bake this peanut butter cake up in a 9×13-inch rectangular pan. It seems to be a pretty popular choice- for every cake recipe on this site there’s at least one comment from a reader asking if it can be baked in a 9×13. So I figured this might be something you’d like to see.
But if not, no worries! I’ve included instructions below for how to bake this recipe as cupcakes, a 6-inch layer cake, and an 8-inch layer cake. All the bases are covered!
Just don’t forget the chocolate frosting! This is a simple, American-style buttercream with a rich chocolate taste, and it’s super-fluffy and makes the most gorgeous swirls.
So what we have here is basically the cake version of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. And it’s about time, right?!
Can’t get enough cake? Be sure to follow my “Cake Recipes” board on Pinterest!
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Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
For the peanut butter cake
- 1 1/2 cups (187.5 g) cake flour
- 3/4 cup (93.75 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (227 g) unsalted butter,, softened
- 1 cup (258 g) peanut butter, (creamy)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (122 g) milk
- 1/3 cup (66.67 g) Greek yogurt, (sour cream or buttermilk* may be substituted)
For the chocolate frosting
- 3 ounces (85.05 g) cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, , softened
- 1/2 cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
- 3 1/2 cups (420 g) powdered sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
To make the peanut butter cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Mist a 9×13-inch pan with non-stick spray, and line with parchment.
- Place the cake flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Add the butter, and mix on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles damp sand.
- Stir in the peanut butter until smooth.
- Stir in the eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula after each addition.
- Stir in the milk and Greek yogurt.
- Beat on medium-high speed for 60 to 90 seconds, to aerate the batter and build the cake’s structure.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool completely, then top with chocolate frosting.
To make the chocolate frosting:
- Place the cream cheese and vanilla in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium-high speed until smooth.
- Beat in the butter until incorporated.
- Stir in the cocoa powder and corn syrup.
- Add the powdered sugar and salt, and stir together until well-blended.
- Add the milk and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and spreadable.
Hi. I know it’s been a while since the comment was posted…. but works great with natural/ organic PB
Looks so fluffy and light!!
I LOVE anything chocolate and peanut butter!
Hi. Can the corn syrup be substituted or left out in the frosting? It’s not as easily available in New Zealand. Thank you.
Hey Swarna! You can absolutely omit the corn syrup if you can’t find it. The frosting will still work well and taste delicious!
Like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in cake form!
I noticed this recipe on Pinterest does not list the cake flour – please confirm
I can’t speak for what Pinterest does or doesn’t do, but as the author of the recipe I can assure you that what is on my site is my recipe. I made it with a combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour, as noted. Hope that helps! Good luck and thanks for reading Phyllis!
PB & chocolate are THE BEST, forever! This cake’s texture is so gorgeous, it’s perfect!
The best forever! I cannot disagree. So happy you like this Kayle!
Allie this looks amazing!! I can’t wait to try it!! I made your white cupcakes the other day and they were like the best cupcakes I have ever had!! I am so glad you shared that recipe!! Thanks again!
xoxo Kirsten
– http://hellofromthemiddleofnowhere.blogspot.com/
Oh I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you so much for the great feedback Kirsten!
Allie! I came onto your blog to check out your peanut butter and jam cupcakes because I’m a huge reverse creaming method lover, it’s practically the only way I make my cakes and I know that you love that method too and I’m in a major I -need-peanutbutter-right-now mode so knew yours would be fabulous but then I come and see this as the first post on the top! ?? I swear it’s fate! I love that both recipes have a good amount of PB but I’m wondering now what is the difference between the two recipes? Is one more fluffier or peanut buttery-ier? ?? thanks! Love your blog xx
Hey Linda! Thanks so much! So happy to meet a fellow reverse-creaming-method lover! That is TOO FUNNY about the timing. This is actually pretty much the same recipe as the cupcakes- I think I may have just added a little more milk to this one to make it more moist. And of course it has the chocolate frosting! You just can’t go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate, right?
Looks delicious! Would this work with a natural peanut butter? That’s the only kind I buy but I’ve noticed that some peanut butter recipes only really work with conventional peanut butter (maybe something about the extra added oils?).
Hey there Jenna! That’s a really great question and I wish I could give you a definitive answer, but unfortunately I have only tried it with good old Jif. I would imagine that it would work, just because there are enough other ingredients to keep things smooth, but I wouldn’t really know for certain without having tested it. I’m sorry! If you do end up trying it, would you let me know?
This is a must make for me Allie! I adore chocolate and peanut butter. This is a great cake for any day of the week! Have a lovely weekend 🙂
Aw, thank you Tricia! You too! I’m so happy you like this recipe and I hope you have a chance to try it sometime soon 🙂