I have had so many requests for a good peanut butter cake with peanut butter frosting, so we decided to make a good one. This cake is sort of a merging of my mother's cake and my frosting. This was not the original frosting used for this cake, but it is one of, if not the best peanut butter frosting I have ever eaten. It's also very simple to make. I like it because it never gets hard or too stiff and it spreads like a dream. The cake itself is not overly sweet and the peanut butter is not overpowering, but it's moist and delicious. Here is what you will need for this cake and the frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting
5 Tbs. butter,
softened
1 cup creamy peanut
butter
1 cup confectioner's
sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup half and half
or cream
dash of salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare two 8" cake pans by placing either parchment paper or wax paper in the bottom of each one and spraying them liberally with nonstick baking spray. Cover the paper also. Don't skip the step of lining the pans with the paper, because this cake will stick if you don't do that.
Cream the butter and sugar together. Add in the peanut butter and beat until smooth. Blend in eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Start adding the flour and milk alternately to the mixture. Blend just until it is all well incorporated. Don't over mix this, because it will make your cake dry.
When it is all mixed well, pour into the cake pans. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. You can use 9" pans, but if you do, decrease the baking time by about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about an hour before removing from the pans. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pans and cakes should release with no problem.
While the cakes are cooling prepare your whipped peanut butter frosting. Cream the butter and peanut butter together with an electric mixer. Add in the
sugar, half and half or cream, vanilla and dash of salt. Beat until it is light
and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to get it all
blended. Also, the dash of salt might sound odd, but don't leave it out, it
really adds something to this. Just a dash though, not much!
Peanut Butter Cake!
DO YOU ONLY CUT OUT A CIRCLE OF WAX PAPER TO COVER THE BOTTOM OF PANS ? OR DO YOU COVER THE SIDES ALSO ?
ReplyDeleteYes, just cut a circle of paper exactly to fit the bottom of the pan. I just put one of the pans on the paper to go by and cut two or three, depending on how many layers. Put the paper in your pan and spray the pan sides paper and all. This cake is bad about sticking if you don't do this.
ReplyDeleteMaking this TONIGHT! Thank you! :)
ReplyDeleteI use stick butter to grease the bottom and side of the pans. All purp flour...spread around and the excess tamped out. Wax paper circle on top of butter/flour mixture on bottom only. When the layers are still medium warm to the touch, run a butter knife around the sides of each layer. I shake the pans slightly, causing the layer to release from the pan. I let them cool until slightly warm, peel the wax paper off the bottom of each layer. In 40+ years of baking, I have never had a cake stick when I used this method. If I try to take shortcuts....disaster strikes.
ReplyDeleteCan u just make in 9×13 pan?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous--I don't see why not.
ReplyDeleteI made this today and it was soooo good. Iam sure I will be making this alot.
ReplyDeleteI love this cake made it in a 9x13 pan turned out great...
ReplyDelete--- I Think Cooking Spray & A Dusting Of Flour On The Bottom Of A 9 x 13 Oblong Baking Pan Would Be My Choice. Not Necessary To Remove The Cake From The Pan. Just Frost When Cool And Serve. Tara's Temp-Tations Ceramic Bake Ware Is My Choice For Baking Cakes. Food Normally Does Not Stick To Them.
ReplyDeleteKathy, I made this cake today for my father's 78th birthday. The house smells wonderful and the wax paper worked like a charm! I hope it tastes as good as it smells. Thank you for your recipes. Tina - West Virginia
ReplyDeleteI made this cake this morning, and it is wonderful! Very moist and definitely not too sweet! Thank you so much for this recipe-it's a keeper!
ReplyDeleteCupcakes?
ReplyDeleteI just made this cake in a 9-13 glass pan. I reduced the heat to 325 part way through because the edges were getting finished much faster than the middle. It looks GREAT, and we can't wait to dig in!
ReplyDeletecan you use self rising flour in the cake batter or is it plain ?
ReplyDeletePut your favorite jelly in between and it becomes a peanut butter and jelly cake. Kids love it!!
ReplyDeleteDo you have a cookbook for sale? I absolutely love your recipes post, but I always seem to lose your post for them. I would purchase a few copies. ;0)
ReplyDeletemy kids loved this cake thank you sooooo much
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! THIS SOUNDS DELICIOUS!!! AS MY PAPAW WOULD SAY "LIP-SMACKING GOOD!"
ReplyDeleteI had the same question....plain flour???
ReplyDeleteCan you use buttermilk in place of the sweet milk?
ReplyDeleteAnyone at High altitude make this with adjustments? If so let me know what you did. thanks. Always such a problem..and disappointing when I can't bake something..
ReplyDeleteIn the cake recipe do you use all purpose flour or self rising flour?
ReplyDeleteI agree with 3/12 anonymous posting. Ever thought of putting these all in a cookbook??? I would definitely buy it!
ReplyDeleteI asked a question about high altitude for this cake...where is it?
ReplyDeleteI want to take a short cut and wonder if I would just use a vanilla cake and add peanut butter what do you think?
ReplyDeleteI've done it this way and it works great.
DeleteThis cake uses all purpose flour. Any time a recipe doesn't specify and calls for baking powder or baking soda, you can assume it's all purpose flour.
ReplyDeleteRather than using waxed paper in the bottom of your pans, I use double layered paper towels. Cut a circle that fits in the bottom of your pan. We've made wedding cakes for over 40 years and this method also holds the cake together when handling it. Be sure to remove the paper before frosting! :>)
ReplyDeleteI just finished making this cake. I have to say it is the BEST peanut butter cake I have ever tasted! It is dense and moist and very tasty. I made it in a 9 by 13 pan that I sprayed and floured, no wax paper. It took about 35 minutes to bake @ 350 degrees until inserted toothpick in middle of cake came out clean and was light golden brown on top. I let it cool overnight. Then, turned it out onto a board and sliced it horizontally into two pieces. I then put the bottom layer back in the pan with the cut side up and spread the cut side of the bottom layer with warmed (about 20 secs in microwave) Concord grape jelly. I then put the top piece on right side up and iced the top with this frosting that I modified slightly. I used a whole stick of softened butter (8 T.) and 1 and 1/3 cup of peanut butter with 1 and 1/2 cup of sifted powdered sugar. I felt like the recipe as printed was too light and not quite flavorful enough. Also, I used almond milk in the cake and the frosting as my son cannot drink cows milk. My family loves it! Half the cake is already gone! It tastes like the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich you ever had. My son wants it for breakfast! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us. This one is priceless...
ReplyDeleteAnyone out there use a bundt cake pan for this cake?
ReplyDeleteI adore this cake! Absolutely my favorite! But last night I made the chocolate cake and used this peanut butter frosting! HOLY MOLEY!!!
ReplyDelete