Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake for a Crowd

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It’s my daughter’s birthday week, which means one thing: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake. In our family, it’s tradition to choose your birthday cake flavor with Grandma (my mom), who calls in the weeks leading up to your special day to take your “order.” Without fail, she’ll tempt you with exciting new options—recipes and flavor combinations she’s been perfecting. For many of us, the decision would require weeks of hand-wringing deliberation, as there were just too many incredible cakes to choose from. But then, she created this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, and an unequivocal winner was born. This has become my daughter’s go-to birthday cake. This year, I decided to feature this recipe in her honor. Happy birthday, Sweetheart.

This tender and moist dark chocolate cake has the most memorable melt-in-you-mouth texture. Adapted from a King Arthur Baking recipe, it’s the perfect vehicle to showcase the light and toasty, creamy-smooth peanut butter icing, all dressed up with crunchy salted peanuts and dark chocolate drizzle. What do I absolutely love about this cake? It’s not too sweet. Instead, it is perfectly balanced. Don’t believe me? Ask your guests. Now, let’s get started.

Why This Cake is Perfect for a Crowd?

In addition to being insanely gorgeous and delicious, this cake has another stand-out quality: its ability to serve a crowd. If you’ve ever tried to slice a standard 8-inch round cake into enough pieces to serve a large party, you know how daunting it can be! The sheet-style, 9×13-inch cake pan not only yields enough slices to satisfy a group (up to 20), but the parchment lining makes it super easy to lift the cake out of the pan, ensuring clean, beautiful slices every time. Below is a list of equipment items to ensure your success.

Equipment Needed:

• 9″ X 13″ Cake Pan
• Parchment Paper
• Electric Mixer
• Offset Spatula
• Rubber Spatula
• Measuring Spoons
• Measuring Cups
• Wire Mesh Sieve or Hand Sifter
• Non-Stick Spray or butter

How to Make a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake for a Crowd

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare your baking pan. You will first grease the pan with butter or non-stick spray. Then, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang of the paper on all sides. This will help you easily remove the cake from the pan before slicing. Lastly, spray the inside of the parchment once more with non-stick spray.

Step 2: Set a fine mesh sieve over a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and sugar. Shake/sift the dry ingredients through the sieve into the mixing bowl to remove any lumps.

This next step of “sanding” the dry ingredients together with the fat before adding the wet ingredients makes this cake recipe quite unique.

Step 3: Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed using a paddle attachment for about one minute. While the mixer runs, slowly pour in the oil and continue mixing until the texture resembles damp sand.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla extract, milk and coffee. Add this liquid mixture to the dry ingredients all at once. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, pause to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix for an additional 30 seconds.

Step 5: Beat in the eggs one at a time, blending well at medium-high speed between each addition. The resulting batter will be fairly thin.

Step 6: Transfer the batter to your prepared 9″x 13″ pan. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 34 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 7. Let the cake cool completely before lifting it from the pan, using the parchment paper edges. Remove the parchment paper and transfer the cake to a serving platter for decorating. 

NOTE: For extra easy cutting, simply keep the cake on parchment paper and transfer both cake and paper to a large sheet pan or cutting board, where you can easily decorate and slice the cake before serving. This creates a very rustic look, like in the pictures for this post.

How to Make Peanut Butter Frosting:

This frosting recipe can be credited to the amazing Ina Garten. It is so easy to make and comes out perfect every time. It is important to use a smooth peanut butter such as Jiff or Skippy. Also, make sure your butter is completely soft and at room temperature. At medium speed, combine the powdered sugar, peanut butter, softened butter, and vanilla in a mixing bowl using a wire whip attachment on a standing mixer or an electric hand beater. Whip until smooth. Slowly add heavy cream and continue to mix until the frosting becomes creamy, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Note: Do not over-whip the frosting, as it will become grainy or broken.

Decorating Your Cake:

Once the cake has cooled and the frosting is ready, it is time to prepare the toppings. Melt chocolate morsels with heavy cream to make the perfect chocolate ganache drizzle.

Next, melt the peanut butter for about 30 seconds in the microwave. The peanut butter should be liquid and easy to drizzle.

Frost the cake with an even layer of frosting. Drizzle with half of the melted chocolate and peanut butter. Scatter with salted peanuts and peanut butter cups and drizzle the remaining melted chocolate and peanut butter. Slice and enjoy!

How to Store Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake:

To store this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, cover it loosely with plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate the cake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes to allow the frosting to harden slightly, then wrap it in plastic wrap and store it for up to a week. For freezing, chill the cake first until the frosting is firm, then wrap it in plastic wrap and foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months—just thaw it in the fridge overnight before serving.

I hope you LOVE this recipe. Let me know in the comments below. xoxo

Kristen

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