Reese's Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

FINALLY, the wait is over...here it is MY BIRTHDAY CAKE!!! Yes, I made my own birthday cake :o) My wonderful husband was going to buy me one, but why would I want that when #1 - I know I can make one that would taste better than store bought and #2 - (most importantly) why spend that kind of money when homemade is so much cheaper!!!

When I started searching for recipes I didn't really know where to start, all I knew is that I wanted something fun and something that I hadn't done before! Seems like I always end up searching peanut butter recipes every time I want to make a cake...and this time wasn't any different! It didn't take me long to find something that I wanted to make, in fact I found several, but Annie's Eats won my heart! Man oh man does she have some great recipes!! I was so excited when I saw her Reese's Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake (whew that is a mouthful) and knew it was perfect for my birthday! I even had all the ingredients, except for buttermilk, so I was even more pumped!!! (I had leftover Reese's from all the campfires we have been having, the make a great S'more!)



This cake was so incredibly delicious!! I will warn you that this frosting is HIGHLY ADDICTIVE! I couldn't keep my husbands hands out of the bowl!! The cake is very rich, but nothing that a nice cold glass of milk couldn't help wash down!

Reese's Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

(from Annie's Eats)

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ½ cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

Reese Cups for decorating

For the cake, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 9×2” round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Place the pans on a baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended into the butter. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients). Mix each addition only until it is blended into the batter. Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate, if using, folding it in with a spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.

Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the cakes feel springy to the touch and start to pull away from the sides of the pans. Transfer to wire racks to cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

Prepare Peanut Butter Frosting:

Peanut Butter Frosting

(from Barefoot Contessa)

**I double this batch (and highly recommend it), if you want to do that just double the measurements below**

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

To finish the cake:

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cardboard circle covered in foil. Spread peanut butter frosting on top of the cake layer. (If desired, sprinkle with chopped Reese’s cups.) Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Frost the top and outside of the cake with remaining peanut butter frosting. Decorate with halved and chopped Reese’s cups as desired

This was the day our AC bit the dust, I didn't want to go out to dinner, but my lovely husband talked me into going out with some friends. We had dinner at a hibachi grill, and it was so much fun! They came out and sang happy birthday in the most embarrassing way I have ever seen done! The cake was the perfect ending to my birthday! After the day we had, I was surprised I was even able to manage making the cake and frosting, and it not being a disaster!!

Doesn't that look delicious...I wish I could have another piece!!

*Kristen helped me with some of the photos!*

Check out her photography blog here!