If I learned anything during the process of making this cake, it is that I really need more occasions to make peanut butter frosting, but also no, I do not because that stuff is too good. Too easy to eat it with a spoon!
This Peanut Butter Lover’s Cake might look like a lot, but the steps are fairly simple. The cake recipe makes enough batter to use three 8 or 9-inch pans, but I went with four 6-inch pans because I wanted a taller cake because it’s all about that drip.
Since there’s a lot going on, I went with the “naked cake” look with the frosting. You can slather some more on there though if you want. I mean, no one’s going to say no to more frosting. And if they do say no, you need to have a serious chat with them because you don’t need that kind of negativity in your life. 😉
1) Start with a cold cake! I like to let mine chill in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. It’s easier to spread out ganache without having to worry about messing up the frosting.
2) I like to use a squeeze bottle, but piping bags with a small tip cut off also work.
3) Method #1 for creating drips: pour some ganache on top of the (cold!) cake. Use an offset spatula to smooth it out to the edges and let the ganache run over if there’s enough for that. Go back around the edges and add drips here and there where you can fit them in. (Demonstrated in the video below.)
4) Method #2 (which I used with this cake): Start with the drips first. Go around the edges of the cake and pipe ganache drips, then go back and spread ganache over the top of the cake until it reaches the edges where the drips start.
Having said all that, I think I like method #1 better, but the second one got the job done!
The Ultimate Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
peanut butter cake
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 Tbsp powdered peanut butter optional
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
peanut butter frosting
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 - 2 tbsp cream or milk
- 1 cup finely chopped peanuts
peanut butter ganache
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
peanut butter cake
- Preheat oven to 350*F and spray four 6-inch cake pans with cooking spray. (You can use three 8-inch cake pans or three 9-inch cake pans. The layers might be thinner, and baking time will vary, but there will be enough batter for larger cake layers.)
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, powdered peanut butter (if using!), and salt.
- Cream butter on medium speed with an electric mixer. Add peanut butter; mix well. Add both sugars and vanilla. Mix until combined. Add eggs one at a time with mixer running; mix well.
- Add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk to the butter/sugar mixture. Mix until just incorporated. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk; mix until combined.
- Divide batter among cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes (this will change depending on the size of the pans you use), or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake layers comes out clean.
- Let cake cool in pans for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
peanut butter frosting
- Cream butter on medium speed with an electric mixer. Add peanut butter; mix until smooth.
- Add vanilla and half of the powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until just combined, and then medium-high speed until completely combined. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream, and repeat with remaining powdered sugar.
- Once cake layers are cool, spread frosting between layers and over the outside of the cake. (I chose to go with the "naked cake" look, but there should be enough frosting to have a thicker layer around the outside if you prefer that.)
- Press chopped peanuts into frosting around the bottom of the cake.
- *At this point, I like to pop my cakes into the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. I've found that it's easier to get the drips I want when the cake is cold. But you can skip this part if you'd like!*
peanut butter ganache
- Combine peanut butter chips and cream in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Stir continuously until smooth. Let ganache cool.
- I usually use a squeeze bottle or a piping bag to make the drips, and recently I came across a really great video that demonstrates how to do this. So skip to the 3 minute mark if you'd like to see how drips are done!
- To finish off the cake, you can pipe any leftover frosting around the top and sprinkle with more chopped peanuts.
- Congrats, you're done!
Notes
Yep, you were right. ?<–That's totally what I look like right now. I want to eat that frosting with a spoon. But then I want to eat that whole cake, so….
Beautiful!!!
Looks so good! I want to try it!
Wow, amazing cake! Just beautiful
Girl, you are the cake QUEEN!! Also, I’ve always wanted to know how people get perfect drips so major thanks for the link to that video. I’m a PB addict, and this cake is literally calling to me. I need to get my hands on a slice!
This looks OH SO delicious!
Oh my! this looks *amazing*, and your drips are perfect! Unfortunately peanut butter chips and powdered peanut butter aren’t ‘things’ in the UK so I would need to work out substitutes for those but I adore peanut butter so will definitely be making this next time I’ve got more people than just myself to eat it (I’m sure I would manage to eat the entire cake, but that probably isn’t the best idea…)
Hi Hannah! Just thought to let you know they are both available on amazon! ;o) Now you can bake it to your heart’s delight! I’m about to try to bake it for my sister!
Gorgeous (like all your cakes!)! Love all of the peanut butter you packed into this cake!
Hi Beth,
How long would you say the peanut butter ganache stays fresh? Can I pour it on top the night before and leave it in the fridge until the next evening for the party? Or do you think I should top it off right before the party starts?
Sorry to be replying so late! But yes, you can pour it on the night before and keep it in the fridge! 🙂
This cake was delicious and turned out beautiful. I think I will try a chocolate ganache next time to break up the peanut butter and the coloring.
So glad you enjoyed, JoAnna! I actually made it with chocolate ganache recently and it was a nice change! 🙂
My cake totally failed haha! only 4 of them sunk i tried fixing it by filling the sunken parts with frosting but after had the cake stacked it sunk and fell over. why did all of this happen any tips for next time?
oh my god i can’t stop drooling
This is beautiful, but can it be done in a 9 by 13 in. pan?
I made it in one. Baked for just shy of 45 minutes.
Wow! This is awesome! I copied your link over to my blog to share with all my friends. This is the best PB cake I’ve ever tasted, bar none!
This cake tastes unbelievable! I made it for my brothers surprise 30th birthday party. He’s a peanut butter lover, but you don’t have to be to enjoy this cake. I was scared to make it because it was my first cake I made from scratch and because I thought with all the peanut butter it might be too much. Surprisingly with the peanut butter cake, peanut butter frosting, peanut butter ganache and topped with peanuts; it was perfect. I got so many compliments on this cake. I never did drips on a cake before, so I watched that video. The drips still came out horrible. I don’t think I let it cool long enough, so the ganache was very runny. Not sure if my picture will post, but I frosted the whole cake did 3 layers of an 8″ round pan. Did not put peanuts in the frosting, but sprinkled chopped blanched peanuts on the top. I will for sure make it again and out of curiosity try chocolate ganache even though the recipe is perfect the way it is.
Just made the 4 cakes and the texture looks lovely. The smell in the kitchen is amazing. Can’t wait to decorate
Love the small addition of peanut butter powder, a little goes a long way and it’s fantastic! Beautiful cake and we are all peanut butter fans!
What are your thoughts on adding fudge in between the cake layers? Making this cake this weekend, and toying around with that idea. Layer the PB frosting, add a thick “wall” around the cake to add a layer of fudge. Do you see any issues with doing this? Tips would be appreciated!
I made this cake over the weekend for a birthday and it was a huge hit! I was in a hurry and didn’t add the drips, but everyone loved it even without the added peanut butter ganache. The true testament is that there was no cake left at all after the family gathering and that almost never happens! This will be a go-to recipe for me in the future. Thanks so much for sharing.
Made this cake for my mother in law’s birthday this weekend and everyone loved it! I added a bit more peanut butter powder to the frosting to give it more of a peanut butter flavor too. Super yummy and will definitely be adding this to my regular recipe book!
why does the recipe call for baking in 3 pans, but you have 4 layers in your cake
If you read the post, it says, “The cake recipe makes enough batter to use three 8 or 9-inch pans, but I went with four 6-inch layers because I wanted a taller cake.” I called for 8 or 9-inch pans in the recipe because that’s what most people usually have. I also have 6-inch pans, which is what I decided to use for myself. You can use whatever you have, though.
This cake looks amazing! Which flour did you use please? Was it self raising or plain? Thank you x
Do you think the recipe would turn out ok using GF all purpose flour?
Hi! I haven’t tried that, but if you used something like Bob’s Red Mill gf baking flour, I would think it would turn out okay!
Thank you for this beautiful recipe! I’m going to make it for my birthday. 🙂
Is it okay to use natural peanut butter if I think it’ll be sweet enough for my tastes without it, or is standard peanut butter with sugar added necessary e.g. for some chemical or structural reason?
Have a beautiful weekend–!
Hi! Standard peanut butter with added sugar doesn’t really matter! I think you could use a natural peanut butter, just maybe make sure to give it a good stir so all the natural oil is mixed in well before using? I’ve only tried this cake with JIF creamy peanut butter, but I think it would still turn out okay!
Thank you very much! I will be sure to give it a review 🙂
Such a beautiful cake, and so so tasty! I’m new to baking, and I found this recipe super easy to follow. It was such a hit with everybody I shared with 🙂
The taste of the cake is delicious , unfortunately my cakes pull away from the sides of the pans and shrink a little. I’m not sure what I did wrong! I made 2 batches . Then I tested if it was my cake pan strips. I think this recipe doesn’t better without them but my cakes are so soft and crumble . Is that normal ? Usually if you over mix that would be an issue. I’m positive I didn’t though. Thoughts?? Lol
delicious! The cake was moist and flavorful. The frosting was perfectly fluffy. I swapped the ganache for chocolate and it was a perfect contrast.