Many of you know I have a weakness for (some might say addiction to) Chocolate and Peanut Butter – some of my all-time favorites include these yummy Homemade Peanut Butter Cups and this over-the-top Peanut Butter Pie. So it should come as no surprise I have a new favorite cake, and guess what? It’s a Three-Layer Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting.
I mean, really? Have you ever even imagined something so delicious? This cake is a grown-up version of the famous Reese’s cup – it has rich, dark chocolate and creamy peanut butter, but is not too sweet. So satisfying. It has a tender, soft and fluffy texture and slightly salty peanut-buttery frosting that is so scrumptious you probably should just go ahead and double that recipe. You know, in case you have an extra cake lying around. Or some crackers. Or a spoon.
The cake recipe is adapted from a recipe for a Chocolate Blackout Cake (read: super-chocolate-y) published in O Magazine in 2007. I’ve made that cake many times, even bought a third 9″ cake pan specifically for the recipe. Everyone who’s tried it has loved it so much, I had to use that recipe as the basis for this one. I made a couple of substitutes that I think have lightened the texture a bit (buttermilk instead of sour cream) and also intensified the chocolate flavor a bit (strong coffee instead of hot water). This has been my “go-to” chocolate cake for several years now.
I don’t know what it is about that third layer – it really just screams “festive!”, now, doesn’t it? I guess it’s that “go big or go home” philosophy. It makes a perfect birthday cake or holiday (Easter anyone?) cake. You could serve anywhere from 12 to 24 people with this cake. Or you could just make it for yourself enjoy it over and over again, since it remains moist and delicious for days.
One of the best things about this chocolate cake is you could really frost it with any type of frosting – chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, or even my caramel Penuche Frosting. Although, if you know me, you know I’ll choose the peanut butter frosting!
Enjoy!
Three Layer Chocolate Cake
This Three Layer Chocolate Cake is the best chocolate cake I’ve had – light and fluffy but super-chocolatey. So good with My Peanut Butter Frosting, or any other frosting, really – chocolate, vanilla, cream cheese, caramel, strawberry… the possibilities are endless! This recipe was adapted from a recipe appearing in O Magazine, February 2007. I...
- Prep Time: 20m
- Cook Time: 30m
- Yield: 1 3-layer 9" cake
- Category: Cakes and Frostings, Chocolate, Desserts and Sweets, Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 c Or 16 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
- 3 c Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
- 4 Lg eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp. Natural Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 c Cocoa Powder, sifted
- 1 tbsp. Baking Soda
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 3 c Cake Flour (not self-rising)
- 1 1/2 c Buttermilk
- 1 1/2 c Strong Coffee, hot
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (or 340F for Convection). Grease three 9" Cake Pans; line with parchment paper. Butter the paper.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter at and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs and vanilla. Add them slowly to the brown sugar mixture until they are fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and beat at high speed for 1 additional minute.
- In another medium bowl, sift the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. With mixer at low speed, add this mixture to the brown sugar mixture until just combined.
- Sift the flour. Add 1 cup to the batter. Beat at low speed until barely combined. Next, alternate adding 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1 cup flour, the remaining buttermilk, the remaining flour, beating at low speed until barely combined after each addition. Then with mixer still on low, very slowly add the coffee and beat until just combined.
- Scrape bowl thoroughly; at low speed beat batter for 20 more seconds. Scrape bowl once more, then divide batter among the three baking pans. Bake 27-33 minutes (I baked for 30), until cake begins to. Pull away from the sides of the pans. Cool in pans for 30 minutes. Then remove from pans to cool completely on wire racks. The cakes are quite delicate and should be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated at least 2 hours prior to assembly.
- If assembling the next day, wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator (or freezer!) until ready to frost and assemble. You may want to level the top of the cake prior to frosting, by slicing off the domed top. I found my cakes relatively level, so did not do this.
Peanut Butter Frosting
This Peanut Butter Frosting recipe makes enough frosting to top 3-9″ cake layers, or tops and sides of 2-9″ layers. I used all-Natural Unsalted Peanut Butter, so if you use any other type, be sure to adjust for the salt, by using 1/2 tsp of salt instead of the full teaspoon. I also like this...
- Prep Time: 10m
- Total Time: 10m
- Yield: Enough for 2-3 layer cake
- Category: Cakes and Frostings, Desserts and Sweets, Make ahead, Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 c Or 1 stick, unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 c Smooth Peanut Butter (I used Natural, Unsalted, but any smooth PB will work)
- 1 tsp. (Optional) Natural Vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. -1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 c Confectioners' Sugar, plus more to add to taste
- 4 tbsp. or 1/4 cup, milk or cream
Instructions
- Cream butter and peanut butter at medium speed until it is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Adjust speed to medium-low. Add vanilla, salt and the confectioners' sugar, a cup at a time. Add milk or cream a Tablespoon at a time to achieve desired consistency. (I added 3-4 Tablespoons)
- Taste and add more salt or sugar if desired.
Looks decadent and rich, Laura !! So good!
Thanks, Freda!
ooh, this cake sounds so good! have you tried ina garten’s chocolate cake? it looks fairly similar to this one and has tons of cocoa and coffee, and that’s definitely my go to chocolate cake recipe! and i agree about the 3 layer thing; 2 doesn’t look right and 3 screams that you don’t mess around (;
You know how much I love Ina! That is one I should make, for sure. Her “Outrageous Brownies” are to die for, so she certainly knows her way around baking with chocolate!