Description
A rich and indulgent peanut butter cake topped with creamy icing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter (regular commercial style, not natural)
- 1 cup water
- 8 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 12 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups (chopped, for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, peanut butter, oil, and butter. Heat, stirring, until the mixture is melted and smooth. You don’t need a hard boil, just hot and fully blended.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add the buttermilk and stir to cool the mixture slightly (it should feel warm but not hot to the touch). Then whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the warm peanut butter mixture into the flour mixture. Stir until smooth and there are no flour streaks in the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the top looks set and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Set the warm cake on a rack while you make the icing. Leave the cake in the pan. The warm icing is thin and pourable at first, and the pan helps contain it so it spreads into a smooth, even layer before setting.
- Melt the peanut butter and butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir until smooth. Keep the heat moderate and don’t let it boil, just warm enough to melt everything together. Mix in the milk, vanilla, and salt until combined.
- Remove the pan from the heat, then whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Pour the icing over the warm cake and spread evenly. Let the cake and icing cool completely before slicing.
- If desired, sprinkle chopped peanut butter cups over the icing while it’s still slightly warm so they stick.
Notes
- This cake is perfect for peanut butter lovers!
- For a richer icing, use more butter in the icing mixture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 50mg