The only thing that might possibly be better than chocolate, is chocolate combined with peanut butter. YUMMEEE!!! This was my son’s favorite treat as a boy and I always made it for him on his birthday. As a matter of fact, he is a grown man now, and I still make it on his birthday and on his son’s birthday too. I guess it has become a family tradition.
Ingredients:
2 9-inch round cake pans, greased and floured.
2 cups of cake flour (all-purpose flour will work too)
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of table salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (I usually put the butter in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to soften).
1 1/3 cups white granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter. I prefer the natural organic peanut butter but any type will do!
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (real vanilla and not the fake stuff).
1 cup of whole milk (this is not a recipe for dieters).
Ingredients for the filling and frosting:
3/4 cup of unsalted butter,softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
2 tablespoons of whole milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 12 ounce jar of hot fudge topping
Directions for the cake:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Sift together well. Set aside.
In a large bowl cream the sugar and butter together. Beat with an electric mixer until the two ingredients are light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well between each egg.
Add the vanilla and beat well.
Add the peanut butter and make sure the batter is thoroughly blended.
Pour the batter evenly into the 2 9-inch cake pans.
Bake at 325 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for approximately 15 minutes.
Turn out onto cooling racks.
Directions for the filling and frosting:
In a large bowl beat the butter (3/4 cup) until it is light and smooth.
Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar beating constantly until smooth.
Add the vanilla and milk and beat well at high speed.
Divide the mixture in half into 2 separate bowls.
For the filling, add 1/2 cup of smooth peanut butter to one of the bowls and blend well.
For the frosting, add 1/2 cup of chocolate sauce to the other bowl and blend well.
Assembling the cake:
Place one cake layer on the serving platter.
Cover this cake layer with the peanut butter filling
Add the second cake layer on top of the filling, and press firmly but gently in place.
Frost the top and the sides of the cake.
Add peanut butter cups, crushed up toffee pieces, or crushed up Butterfinger bars as a garnish.
Serve with caramel sauce and butter pecan ice cream.
Enjoy!!
Author is a sweet lady named Maggie
