Dark Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting (Gluten Free)

This Dark Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting is the perfect dessert any time of the year. The classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate is always a welcome treat after school or for dessert. The ganache topping can be skipped if you want an even easier dessert.

The original recipe is a beautiful layer cake, but when it is just the Artist and me, a sheet cake is much easier to handle, especially when I am doling out pieces to our neighbors! I turned the filling layer into the frosting for this cake and made a chocolate ganache for the top layer.

I call for a 7×11-inch baking pan, but if all you have is a 9×13-inch pan you can use that instead. The cake won’t be as tall as mine but just as delicious. Just watch the baking time, as it will change with the depth of the batter.

Be sure you don’t use the peanut butter I bought, a natural variety with the oil suspended on top of the ground peanuts and it had to be stirred in. The texture of the frosting is a lot smoother and a bit sweeter with a regular peanut butter brand.

If you are baking for someone who cannot have peanuts, you can use any of the alternative nut and seed butters in its place. Adjust the amount of powdered sugar if needed to get the right spreading consistency.

The ganache topping is beautiful and dramatic, but you can skip it if you want an easier dessert. If you want even more decoration, you can melt some more creamy peanut butter and drizzle it over the top.

I hope you make this Dark Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting for your friends and family soon. Have a wonderful Chocolate Monday!

Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments and leave a star rating, I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for Dark Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting:

• Gluten-free flour blend or all-purpose flour, cocoa powder
• Baking powder, baking soda, salt, sour cream, water, butter
• Sugar, eggs, vanilla, peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar

PRO Tip:

Be sure you don’t use the peanut butter with the oil suspended on top of the ground peanuts that has to be stirred in. The texture of the frosting is a lot smoother and a bit sweeter with a regular peanut butter brand.

PRO Tip:

To get the cleanest cuts, use a sharp knife and run it under hot tap water, wipe dry, and make a cut. Run it under hot water again, cleaning it off, and wiping dry before the next cut. Repeat for each cut. This is how the pros make the incredibly clean cuts on desserts in restaurants.

How to make Dark Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting:

1. Make the Cake: Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder(s), baking powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined and set aside; in another bowl whisk together the sour cream and warm water
2. In a third bowl whisk together the eggs and vanilla; beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute in a stand mixer, then slowly pour in the sugar, beating on medium until combined and smooth, about 2 minutes
3. Scrape the bowl and beater(s), with the mixer on low speed, pour in the egg mixture and beat until incorporated, then scrape the bowl and beater(s) again to be sure there are no unincorporated ingredients
4. Add the cocoa/flour mixture alternately with the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and beating just until combined after each addition
5. Pour into a buttered 7×11-inch (18x28cm) baking pan and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
6. Make the Frosting: Beat all the frosting ingredients together until smooth; gently spread over the top of the cooled cake, and set aside
7. Make the Chocolate Ganache: melt the chocolate and butter over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth and silky; spread evenly over the top of the peanut butter frosting to create a thin layer on top, let set a few minutes to firm up before cutting and serving (you can skip this if you want)
8. If you want, you can melt a little extra creamy peanut butter and drizzle it over the top for a garnish – this is optional

PRO Tip:

I used regular Dutch cocoa powder in place of the black cocoa the original used. If you do choose to make this with black cocoa, I would use 1/3 cup black cocoa plus 1/3 cup regular unsweetened cocoa. Black cocoa can be rather harsh tasting.

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Kitchen scale
• 7×11-inch baking pan
• Mixing bowls
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Saucepan
• Offset spatula

Gluten-Free Tips:

*You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

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Yield: about 8 servings

Dark Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting (Gluten Free)

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This Dark Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting is the perfect dessert any time of the year. The classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate is always a welcome treat after school or for dessert. The ganache topping can be skipped if you want an even easier dessert.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Cake

• 1-1/4 cups (150g) gluten-free flour blend* or all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup (55g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (113g) sour cream
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1 cup (2 sticks; 226g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1-1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Frosting

• 1 cup (250g) creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup (151g) confectioners' sugar
• 6 tbsp (85g) butter, softened

Chocolate Ganache layer (optional)

• 8 oz (1-1/3 cup; 227g) chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
• 1 cup (227g) heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1. Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Place a rack in the center of the oven. Butter a 7x11-inch (18x28cm) baking pan and line it with parchment paper leaving two ends hanging over the edge of the pan. You will use this as a sling to help lift the cake out of the pan for easier cutting.  
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to completely distribute the dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream and lukewarm water. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla.
4. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Turn down to low and slowly pour in the sugar. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and beater. Turn mixer back to low and pour in the egg mixture. Mix until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula and mix in any unincorporated ingredients.
5. Add 1/3 of the cocoa/flour mixture to the batter, beating until just combined. Add 1/2 of the sour cream mixture, and mix in. Repeat with 1/3 cocoa/flour mixture, remaining half of the sour cream mixture, and last 1/3 of cocoa/flour mixture; beating until just combined after each addition. Pour into the prepared pan.
6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer cake pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Peanut Butter Frosting: Beat all the ingredients together with your mixer until smooth. Gently spread over the top of the cooled cake and set aside to firm up slightly.
8. Chocolate Ganache: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Add the cream to a saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cream comes to a simmer (little bubbles around the edges of the pan), then take off the heat and pour over the chocolate in the bowl. Be sure all the chocolate is submerged in the hot cream.
9. Let sit a few minutes undisturbed to start melting the chocolate then whisk until smooth and silky. Start in the center and work toward the edges. Let cool about 15 to 20 minutes before pouring it over the top of the cake - use an offset spatula to spread this evenly over the peanut butter frosting. Let set a few minutes.
10. To make cutting easier, you can use the parchment sling to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on a cutting board. Be sure you let the cake cool about 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com

Notes

*You can adjust any recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup without a spout until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 600Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 293mgCarbohydrates: 94gFiber: 5gSugar: 29gProtein: 13g

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.

 

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