March 25, 2021 by swapna_sachdev (Edit)
If you love chocolate and peanut butter together then this chocolate peanut butter snack cake is perfect for you! Its sweet, simple to make, and so indulgent! Rich and delicious dark chocolate cake with swirls of peanut butter frosting.
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Why you will love this Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Cake
Get ready for a chocolate and peanut butter match made in heaven! This incredibly easy chocolate peanut butter snack cake is so rich and decadent and requires only one bowl.
Chocolaty and moist dark chocolate cake topped with swirls of sweet and salty peanut butter frosting. I topped mine with Valhrona milk chocolate crunchy bits but you can use mini chocolate chips for an extra crunch.
Just a few pantry ingredients come together to create snack cake magic. It’s perfect for weekends, bake sales, or anytime a chocolate peanut butter craving hits!
Ingredient Notes
Dark cocoa powder- I used Hershey’s Dark dutch process cocoa powder.If you don’t have it you can use regular cocoa powder.
Oil- I like to use any neutral tasting oil like canola or vegetable oil. You can also use olive oil although the flavor would be different.
Buttermilk- You can also substitute 1 ¼ cup whole milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Let it sit for 10 minutes before using.
Eggs- I like to use room temperature large eggs.
Hot Coffee- I like to use instant coffee mixed with boiling water. You can also use hot water in case you don’t have coffee.
Confectioners sugar/ Icing sugar- Make sure it is sifted to avoid a gritty frosting.
Peanut Butter- I used regular creamy peanut butter like jiffs or skippy.
Step by Step Instructions
HOW TO MAKE DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE LAYER
Start by pre-heating your oven to 350F/177C and greasing and lining an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients together. In a large bowl whisk together flour, both sugars, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 2: Whisk the wet ingredients.In a medium bowl whisk the eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla until well combined.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients with dry. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined and no dry pockets remain. Add the hot coffee and stir until just mixed making sure not the over-work the batter. Don’t be alarmed if the batter is too thin.
Step 4: Bake the cake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
HOW TO PREPARE THE PEANUT BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Step 1: Beat the butter and cream cheese. Use a mixer, the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Next, add in the powdered sugar, making sure to sift it to ensure no large lumps.
Step 2: Beat in the peanut butter. Then, add in the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix until combined, then switch the mixer to high and beat until smooth and fluffy.
Place the frosting in the refrigerator if not using immediately.
ASSEMBLING THE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER SNACK CAKE
Step 1: Once the cake is completely cooled top it with the prepared frosting and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Always spoon measure your flour when baking: This means using a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup. This will give the most accurate results when baking without a kitchen scale.
- Brew the coffee right before using: Super hot coffee will result in a super moist crumb.
- Don’t over mix the batter: This cake has a high ratio of wet ingredients and over mixing will result in a dense and tough crumb.
- Don’t over bake the cake : Over baking will result in dry and crumbly cake.
- Wait until completely cool to frost: You must wait for the cake to cool completely before frosting it, otherwise the frosting will literally melt right off the cake!
FAQ’s
Can the cake be made ahead of time?
Yes it can! Freeze the cake after it has cooled completely by wrapping in plastic wrap. Freeze up to 30 days. Thaw for 3-4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator before filling and decorating.
Can this be made into a cupcakes?
Yes! This recipe can be made into 12 cupcakes.
Can I make this into a layered cake?
Yes you can! Double the cake recipe to make a three layer 8-inch cake.Triple the frosting recipe to layer and coat the cake.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
A little bit of sinking when cooling is natural, but if the cake completely sinks to the point where the edges of the cake are higher than the middle, then something went wrong! It’s possible that you underbaked the cake and removed it from the oven before the middle got a chance to finish baking.
Adding too much leavener could also cause the cake to rapid rise while baking and then collapse while cooling.
Can I use natural peanut butter?
I wouldn’t recommend baking with natural peanut butters as they often separate where the oil floats to the top of the jar. Natural nut butters are difficult to bake with as they give the same texture or flavor to your final baked product.
STORING AND FREEZING
Store this chocolate peanut butter snack cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
FREEZING
You can freeze the decorated cake in an air tight container. Freeze up to 30 days. Let it thaw for 2-3 hours on the counter before enjoying.
You can also freeze the unfrosted cake in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to a month Let it thaw for 2-3 hours before decorating.
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RECIPE📖
Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- ¾ cups granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup dark cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup hot coffee
For the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ½ cup smooth peanut butter
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter and cream. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 3-4 minutes.
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180C. Grease and line with parchment 8 inch square pan.
- Stir together both sugars, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in the hot coffee (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from the pan and place on wire racks to cool completely.
- Using an offset spatula frost the top the cake with the prepared peanut butter frosting.
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