Peanut Butter Cake
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
The frosting on this cake isn't super pretty, but the entire thing is a peanut butter lover's DREAM. A moist yellow cake soaked in sweet peanut butter sauce and topped with buttery peanut butter frosting! I used good ol' fashioned processed, sweetened peanut butter for this, so your mileage may vary if you use the natural sort.
Author:
Serves: 9-12
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Peanut Butter Sauce Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 6 tablespoons cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Peanut Butter Icing Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • chopped peanuts or gold sprinkles for topping, optional
Instructions
  1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease an 8-inch square baking pan (I use Wilton's Cake Release to grease my whole pan and then place a sheet of greased parchment in the bottom of the pan). In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the butter and water to a boil. In the meantime, in a separate large bowl, whisk together the cake flour and sugar before adding the egg, sour cream, almond extract, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine. While mixing, slowly pour in the boiling butter and water mixture. Mix to combine completely. Your batter will be very runny. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 17-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in several places comes out with a few moist crumbs. Poke holes in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.
  2. Make the peanut butter sauce: Heat the peanut butter in a medium bowl for about 30 seconds. Whisk in powdered sugar and enough milk to reach pouring consistency (I had to use the full amount. It should be sauce-like, so don't be shy about adding more liquid). Pour over the cake and cool completely (I stuck mine in the fridge and it was cool in about an hour).
  3. Make the peanut butter icing: Beat the butter and peanut butter together in a medium bowl until combined. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick but still spreadable (I needed the full amount). Beat for a few minutes until it’s super fluffy. Spread it on completely cooled cake -- it's not the smoothest or prettiest, but it is the most delicious! Top with chopped peanuts or gold edible sprinkles!
Recipe by Willow Bird Baking at http://willowbirdbaking.com/2018/06/23/peanut-butter-cake/