Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake AKA Best Cake Ever!

Here is my first version of this cake...

Kasey's version of this cake.  

It's cute, but definitely not my best decorating job.  I was still learning to pipe frosting at that point.  

Oh and this happened. 

Here's some more truth in baking. Getting cake out of the pan is tricky. I use a plate flip it over then flip it onto the cooling rack. It's as risky as it sounds. After the above accident, I looked up ways to get a cake out of a pan and two things have ensured that this hasn't happened again in two years.  I use non-stick spray liberally and I use parchment paper on the bottom.  I think the parchment paper is really the most effective solution and you can cut it yourself or buy custom sized rounds.  People suggest patching up the cake with frosting and using it anyway, but I threw it away and started over because I had the time. 

Back to this glorious cake. One layer of peanut butter cake.  One layer of chocolate cake. Peanut butter filling. Chocolate Frosting. It has the perfect balance between chocolate and peanut butter. My rule with baking with peanut butter is to always use natural with no added sugar.  You will be adding sugar during the baking process so might as well use the peanut butter solely for flavor instead of more unnecessary sweetening. It doesn't make a difference in the texture or rise.    

The July 4th version of this cake at my office. Note the office supplies in the background.

While she didn't sign a release for her image to appear on this blog, that's my friend Courtney with the last time I made this cake.  

Recipe

With cakes, I find it's best to let them completely cool then wrap well in plastic wrap, then put in a gallon freezer back and freeze for a few hours or days before frosting, filling and decorating. I then refrigerate overnight and serve the next day which allows the cake to defrost and the icing to harden a little.  I leave it out for 2-3 hours before serving.  

I do a half version of both cake recipes, full version of the filling and 1 batch of my regular chocolate buttercream frosting recipe.  For decoration I do a half batch of vanilla frosting and color and decorate as desired. 

Peanut Butter Cake - adapted from Epicurious

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter one 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl until blended. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. At low speed, beat in flour mixture in alternately with buttermilk..

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cake until room temperature then freeze. 

Chocolate Cake - adapted from MomsWhoThink

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour one 8-inch cake pans.
In a medium bowl, stir the boiling water into the cocoa until smooth, and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
At medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until well blended
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in Vanilla
Turn mixer down to low speed. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, remove from pan, then cool until room temperature.  

Peanut Butter Filling - adapted from Crazy for Crust 
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup smooth natural peanut butter
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix butter, peanut butter and cream cheese. 

Add powdered sugar

Add milk and vanilla extract