Crunchy Milk Chocolatepeanut Butter Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
• Beat butter and peanut butter for cake together with an electric mixer at medium speed until blended; gradually add brown sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each egg.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; add to peanut butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix at low speed after each addition until blended. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
• While cakes cool, place unsweetened and semisweet chocolate in the top of a double boiler; bring water to a simmer and cook until chocolate melts, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Beat 1 cup butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add melted chocolate, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract; beat until spreading consistency.
• Place peanut butter and 1/2 cup butter in a small bowl. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually, alternately with milk, until frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat an additional 3 minutes.
• Remove 1 cooled cake layer from its pan and frost with chocolate buttercream frosting. Place second cake on top and complete frosting with chocolate buttercream.
• Frost a thick line on the top and bottom edges of the cake with peanut butter frosting using a frosting pouch fitted with a cake decorating tip. Place 16 dollops of peanut butter frosting around the perimeter of the cake. Place mini peanut butter cups on each dollop. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch cake pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.
• Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
• Whisk in the boiling water.
• Pour the batter (it will be thin) into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool.
• Invert the cake onto a work surface.
• Working carefully, slice the cake horizontally.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325°.
• Make the filling: Trace a 9-by-13-inch rectangle onto a sheet of parchment paper and lay it on a large baking sheet.
• In a food processor, pulse the almonds with the confectioners' sugar until they're finely ground.
• In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Add the granulated sugar and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy, about 2 minutes.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold in the almond mixture.
• Spread the meringue on the parchment to fill the rectangle.
• Sprinkle the chopped peanuts on top.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned and firm. Let cool.
• In a medium bowl set in a saucepan of simmering water, heat the peanut butter with the butter and milk chocolate, stirring constantly, until smooth and melted.
• Remove from the heat and fold in the Rice Krispies.
• Spread the mixture all over the meringue rectangle.
• Transfer to the freezer and let cool completely.
• Make the ganache: In a medium bowl set in a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate.
• Whisk in the cream until smooth.
• Remove from the heat and refrigerate for 1 hour, whisking occasionally, until thick enough to spread.
• Assemble the cake: Place the bottom cake layer cut side up on a large board.
• Spread one-third of the ganache over the cake.
• Invert the filling onto the cake and peel off the paper.
• Spread half of the remaining ganache over the filling, then top with the second cake layer.
• Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Using a serrated knife, trim the edges.
• Spread the remaining ganache over the top and sides of the cake and refrigerate to set.
• Cut and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 3/4-inch-high sides. Prepare cake according to package directions, beating in 1/2 cup peanut butter. Divide between prepared pans. Bake until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.
• Combine chocolate syrup and semisweet chocolate in heavy small saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Transfer chocolate mixture to large bowl. Stir in remaining 2 cups peanut butter, then powdered sugar, then milk. Continue stirring until smooth. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread top with 1 1/2 cups icing. Top with second cake layer. Spread top and sides of cake evenly with remaining icing. Garnish with chopped peanuts. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover.) Cut into wedges and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base of three 19cm sandwich tins. Mix the flour, cocoa, bicarb and sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and beat in the syrup, eggs, oil and milk with an electric whisk until smooth.
• Divide the mix between the tins, and bake for 25-30 mins until the cakes are risen and firm to the touch. Cool in the tins for 10 mins before turning out onto a cooling rack and cooling completely. At this stage, they can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to eight weeks.
• Make the bark while the cake is cooling. Melt the chocolate in short bursts in the microwave, stirring every 20 secs, until smooth. Spoon onto a parchment-lined baking tray and smooth over with a spatula to make a thinnish layer, around 35 x 20cm. Sprinkle over the chocolate chips along with the pieces of pretzel and honeycomb, then chill until solid. Remove the bark from the fridge and leave for a minute to come to room temperature before using a sharp knife to cut it into shards (if it's fridge cold, the chocolate will snap rather than cut). Chill again until you're ready to decorate the cake.
• To make the icing, melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring between short blasts, then leave to cool a little. Meanwhile, beat the butter, icing sugar and 1 tbsp boiling water with an electric whisk or stand mixer, slowly at first, then turn up the speed and beat until you get a pale, fluffy icing. Spoon out a third of the mix into a separate bowl and stir in the peanut butter. Whisk the melted chocolate into the remainder of the icing, then beat in the cocoa if you want a darker, more chocolatey-coloured icing.
• Sandwich the three cakes together with the peanut butter icing. Use half the chocolate icing to coat the sides and top of the cake and fill in the edges between the layers, scraping off any excess. Chill for 20 mins. This is called a crumb coating, allowing you to get a really smooth finish when it comes to the final icing.
• Spread the remaining chocolate icing over the lightly chilled cake, smoothing over the sides and top so you get a neat finish. Chill again for 20 mins.
• To make the ganache, heat the cream in a small pan until steaming. Tip the dark chocolate into a bowl, then pour over the cream. Mix well until smooth and shiny. Transfer to a piping bag and leave to cool for a few mins at room temperature.
• Pipe the ganache on top of the cake, nudging it over the edge and allowing it to drip down neatly. Do this all the way round the cake, then fill in the centre with more ganache. Smooth the top with a knife. Chill for 1 hr for the ganache to set.
• Press the bark shards into the cake, sticking up. Add lots of chocolate eggs, popcorn and pretzels in and around the shards. Cut into slices to serve. Will keep for up to three days kept in a cool place in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans.
• Mix sugar, oil, sour cream, cocoa powder, eggs, vinegar, vanilla, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Add flour and water in batches, mixing and alternating between each, until incorporated. Whisk to create a smooth batter. Pour evenly into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes.
• Combine cream cheese and butter for frosting in a very large mixing bowl with an electric mixer. Slowly add confectioners' sugar a few cups at a time until smooth. Mix in peanut butter to incorporate thoroughly.
• Generously distribute the frosting between the layers of the cake and on the top and sides. This frosting is a bit firm and easy to work with. At this point, place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set; it will be extremely heavy.
• Microwave chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup for glaze together in short 30-second intervals, mixing between each, until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in half-and-half until smooth. While warm, drizzle over the frosted cake.
• Place the cake back into the refrigerator to set, about 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the sugar, milk, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, coffee granules, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended., Transfer to two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean., Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For filling, in a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until blended. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until smooth., For frosting, melt peanut butter and chocolate in a microwave; stir until smooth. Cool. In a large bowl, beat butter and chocolate mixture until fluffy. Add the marshmallow creme, confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. If necessary, refrigerate until frosting reaches spreading consistency., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with filling. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving., For optional garnish, place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl; microwave 1-2 minutes or until melted, stirring every 20 seconds. Repeat with peanut butter chips and shortening. Line a 15x10x1 pan with waxed paper; spread the melted chocolate into a 1/4-inch layer. Drizzle melted peanut butter mixture over melted chocolate and swirl with the tip of a spoon. Tap pan on counter to smooth. Refrigerate until set; break into pieces and place on top of cake.