This Deep Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting is the perfect dessert for cool fall days, especially when we are nearing Halloween! The peanut butter frosting is the perfect foil for many decorations. It would be fun to put a set of candy “eyes” on individual pieces like a creature was peeking out of the frosting!
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 left off the final chocolate glaze for a simpler presentation.
I baked my cake in a 9×13-inch pan and it came out fairly flat. It would be thicker in an 8×12-inch pan and that’s what I’ve called for in the recipe. You can use whatever size you have.
I didn’t realize that the peanut butter I bought was 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 would have been a lot smoother and a bit sweeter with a regular peanut butter product.
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.
I hope you make this Deep Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting for your friends and family soon and enjoy kicking off the holiday season. Have a wonderful Chocolate Monday!
- Cake
- 1-1/4 cups (150g) gluten-free flour blend or all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup (55g) unsweetened 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) peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (151g) confectioners' sugar
- 6 tbsp butter (85g), softened
- Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Butter an 8x12-inch baking pan.
- 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.
- In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream and lukewarm water. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla.
- 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.
- Add 1/3 of the cocoa mixture to the batter, beating until just combined. Add 1/2 of the sour cream mixture, and mix in. Repeat with 1/3 cocoa mixture, remaining half of yogurt mixture, and last 1/3 of cocoa mixture; beating until just combined after each addition. Pour into the prepared pan.
- 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.
- Peanut Butter Frosting: Beat all the ingredients together with your mixer until smooth. Gently spread over the top of the cooled cake. Let set a few minutes before cutting and serving.
- Yield: about 8 servings
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