Peanut Chocolate Cake Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, chocolate and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in water., Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 35-40 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 frosting, in a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in milk and vanilla until smooth; set aside. , Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; top with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Gently press peanuts into sides of cake. ,

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease 2 x 22cm round cake tins, lining the bases with baking parchment and greasing the parchment too.
• Put the cocoa in a small bowl with 100ml hot water. Whisk together until smooth, then set aside. Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and melt gently together, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs together using an electric whisk until thick and pale. With the blades still running, pour in the chocolate mixture, mixing until smooth and fully combined. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder. Sieve the dry ingredients over the chocolate mixture and fold together until no lumps remain. Add the cocoa mixture and mix to combine. Divide the batter between your prepared tins and bake for 30-35 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comesout clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for about 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, peeling off the parchment, to cool completely.
• For the icing, beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric whisk until light and creamy. Beat in the icing sugar a little at a time, then add the peanut butter, mixing until smooth. Add a pinch of salt and the cream, again mixing until smooth.
• To assemble the cake, use a large serrated knife to slice each cake in half. Place the first round of cake onto a cake board or serving plate and top with a thin layer of icing. Repeat until all the cake layers have been used. To decorate, use the remaining icing to spread over the top and sides of the cake. Use a spatula or a palette knife to create a swirl pattern around the outside of the cake, and finish by pressing the pretzels onto the top and sides - there is enough to cover about half the sides, leaving the icing partially on display. Best served within 2 days of baking, but the cake will keep for up to 4 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
• In a saucepan, combine 1 cup margarine, 1/4 cup cocoa, water, eggs, and 1/2 cup buttermilk in a saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it bubbles. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix flour, 2 cups sugar and baking soda. Make a well in the center and pour in chocolate mixture. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
• In a small bowl, mix peanut butter and oil. Spread over top of cake. In a saucepan, combine 1/4 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup margarine, and 6 tablespoons buttermilk. Heat until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Place confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Beat in chocolate mixture and continue mixing until smooth. Spread over cake.

Steps:

• CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 F.
• In a large bowl, mix butter and brown sugar.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Add chocolate and vanilla and beat well.
• Sift flour, baking soda and salt together and add to creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream.
• Gradually beat in water.
• Pour into two greased and flored 9" round baking pans.
• Bake for 35- 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove and place on wire rack to cool completely.
• FROSTING: Cream butter, peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla in bowl until smooth.
• If needed for desired consistency, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time to get the frosting you desire.
• Place bottom layer of cake on cake plate and spread top with peanut butter frosting.
• Place next layer on top and frost sides, then top of the cake with the frosting.
• (The original recipe calls for spitting the 2 layers and making 4. I leave my cake in 2 layers. I'm lazy!) Once cake is frosted, sprinkle chopped honey roasted peanuts on top or press them onto the sides of the cake.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat three 6-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray.
• Sift the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Mix with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Add the buttermilk, coffee, vegetable oil and eggs. Mix at medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape the side and bottom of the bowl and mix on medium speed for 1 minute more. Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake on the top rack until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Cool the cakes in the pans for 20 minutes then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
• For the buttercream: Add the confectioners' sugar and butter to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until completely incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter, milk and salt. Mix on high speed until the mixture becomes fluffy and lighter in color, about 2 minutes. Scrape the side and bottom of the bowl and mix again on high speed for 1 minute.
• To assemble the cake: Level each cake round with a serrated knife or cake leveler. Use an offset spatula to spread a thin layer of the buttercream on top of one round. Top with a second round and spread it with a thin layer of buttercream. Repeat with the third round, spreading the buttercream on the top and sides of the cake. Smooth with a bench scraper.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs and mix in the sour cream, and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and stir in the cocoa powder, and hot water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from the heat. Cool slightly, and incorporate the cocoa mixture with the dry ingredients, mixing just until blended.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
• For the frosting:
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the peanut butter and mix until smooth. Remove from the heat. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the milk, and powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla, and slowly incorporate the peanut butter mixture, blending well after each addition.
• Frost the cake while both the frosting and cake are still warm. Top with nuts, if desired.
• Cook's Note: Making a sheet cake is the best bang for your buck when it comes to dessert for a group. To vamp it up, take small biscuit cutters and create tiered cakes that can be dusted with powdered sugar. Cake scraps can be saved for a delicious trifle the next day.
• Sheet Cake Variations:
• Chocolate Fudge Frosting: instead of peanut butter frosting, replace peanut butter in frosting recipe with 1/3 cocoa powder. Prepare the frosting the same way.
• Toasted Coconut: In addition to topping with nuts, top cake with toasted coconut.
• Caramel/Fudge Cake: Drizzle warm caramel sauce and/or fudge sauce over frosting just before serving.
• Sheet Cake Variations, follows.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually beat into egg mixture until blended. Stir in coffee (batter will be thin). , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. , For frosting, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter in a bowl until smooth. Beat in sugar, milk and vanilla. Spread over cake. Sprinkle with chocolate chips if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

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:

• 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:

• Spray custard cup with cooking spray and set aside.
• In small bowl or measuring cup mix all dry ingredients, add the peanut butter and milk to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
• Pour into custard cup and microwave on high for one minute.
• You can enjoy right out of the cup (recommended) or allow to cool a few minutes before turning out onto a plate and enjoying.