Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Hello friends! This decadent Chocolate cake with Peanut butter frosting is everything you’ve been dreaming.

This is a rich, moist cake topped with creamy Peanut Butter Frosting, sprinkled with chopped peanuts, and drizzled with melted peanut butter and rich chocolate ganache for a truly indulgent dessert. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just craving something sweet, this cake is sure to impress and satisfy.

This recipe is unique because I add hot coffee to the chocolate cake recipe. It makes a really rich and deep flavor that enhances the chocolate flavor and keeps the cake perfectly moist. So turn your coffee pot on and enjoy the best chocolate peanut butter cake.

Best Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe

In this post, I’ll guide you through creating this delicious Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting step by step. Find detailed instructions and tips below, along with the full ingredient list.

Preparing the Pan & Brewing Coffee

Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line the sides and bottom of a 9×9″ pan with parchment paper and grease with oil or butter to prevent sticking.

Brew coffee with whatever method you prefer. Instead of coffee, you may use simply hot water.

Making the Chocolate Cake Batter

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients, all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil (or canola oil), sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla until combined. Set aside.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the hot brewed coffee and mix until the batter is free of lumps.

Bake the Chocolate Cake

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes cook time, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, or the cake springs back when gently touched.

Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Transfer it to a wire rack or cake plate to cool completely.

Making the Chocolate Ganache

While the cake cools, prepare the ganache. Heat the heavy cream until hot, then pour it over the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated. Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature before using. If needed, you can place it in the fridge, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, to speed up the cooling process.

Making the Peanut Butter Frosting

This recipe uses my special Peanut Butter Frosting that’s almost like a peanut butter buttercream. In a large mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature unsalted butter and creamy peanut butter together on medium-high speed using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Continue beating for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Gradually add 2 cups of the sifted powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing on low speed. Once all the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat for another 1-2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds.

Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Mix on low speed until combined. If the frosting is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of heavy cream. If needed, adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar or heavy cream until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and easy to spread.

Assembling the Cake

Once the cake has fully cooled, spread the peanut butter frosting using an offset spatula or rubber spatula to make it smooth. Place the ganache in a piping bag or use a spoon to drizzle it over the cake. Melt the peanut butter by microwaving it in 10-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Drizzle the melted peanut butter over the cake, and top with chopped peanuts.

Storage

Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The cake also freezes well—just place it in an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap. To thaw, let it sit in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a couple of hours.

Tips & Tricks for Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

• Coffee Substitution: You can substitute the hot brewed coffee with hot water if desired. The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor, but water works just fine too.
• Ganache Drizzle: For a neater drizzle, use a piping bag with a small snip at the end.
• Frosting Consistency: If the frosting is too runny, add more powdered sugar; if it’s too stiff, add a bit more heavy cream.
• Cake Texture: To ensure the cake stays moist, avoid overbaking. Check for doneness with a toothpick around the 30-minute mark.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure all your ingredients, especially the eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk, are at room temperature before mixing. This helps create a smoother batter, resulting in a more tender and evenly baked cake.

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting Variations

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cake: For a salty-sweet combination, fold in crushed pretzels into the frosting or sprinkle them on top with the chopped peanuts. The added crunch complements the creamy frosting and soft cake.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Cake: Drizzle some of my caramel sauce over the peanut butter frosting before adding the ganache and chopped peanuts. This adds a rich, buttery flavor that complements the chocolate and peanut butter perfectly.
• Crunchy Peanut Topping: Mix chopped peanuts with a little honey or maple syrup and toast them lightly in the oven before sprinkling them over the frosted cake. This adds an extra layer of crunch and a hint of caramelized sweetness.
• Add Fresh Fruit to Decorate: This cake would taste amazing with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or bananas and would really compliment the dark chocolate and peanut butter flavors.
• Use Cream Cheese Frosting Instead: If you’re not a fan of peanut butter, you can try out cream cheese frosting instead.
• Experiment with Different Ingredients: Try using Skippy, Jif, Teddy’s, anything until you find the perfect peanut butter. Or try Dutch-processed cocoas or natural cocoa powder.

If you like this recipe you’ll love these ones:

• Chocolate Cheesecake
• Chocolate Coconut Cake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
• Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies
• Espresso Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Camila Hurst

This decadent Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting is so easy to make. Soft and fluffy chocolate cake topped with creamy peanut butter frosting, sprinkled with chopped peanuts, and drizzled with melted peanut butter and rich chocolate ganache for a truly indulgent dessert.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Cooling time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9 slices

Calories 240 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Chocolate Cake Batter

• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil 78 ml
• 1/4 cup sour cream 60 grams
• 1/2 cup buttermilk 120 ml
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 191 grams
• 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 22 grams
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup hot brewed coffee (156 ml) or hot water

Chocolate Ganache

• 1/4 cup heavy cream 60 ml
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chopped (56 grams)

Peanut Butter Frosting

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature (169 grams)
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter 250 grams
• 2 – 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted (250 grams to 312 grams)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp heavy cream

To decorate

• 1/3 cup chopped peanuts
• 1/4 cup peanut butter melted

Instructions

 

Chocolate Cake Batter

• Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Line the sides and bottom of a 9×9″ pan with parchment paper and grease with oil or butter.
• In a bowl or measuring cup, mix together the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredient mixture, and whisk until incorporated.
• Add the hot brewed coffee to the bowl and mix until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
• Pour onto the prepared pan, and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, or the cake springs back when you gently touch the top.
• Let it cool down for about 15 minutes, then remove from the pan and place on a wire rack, or on a cake plate.

Chocolate Ganache

• While the cake cools down, make the ganache.
• This will be used to drizzle over the frosted cake, and it’s optional. It will take about an hour to come to room temperature, so you want to make it ahead.
• Heat up the heavy cream until hot in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium-heat. Pour over the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Whisk until incorporated. Allow for it to come to room temperature.
• You can speed up the cooling of the ganache by placing it in the fridge and stirring every 5 to 10 minutes.

Peanut Butter Frosting

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature unsalted butter and creamy peanut butter together on medium speed using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Continue beating for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Gradually add 2 cups of the sifted powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing on low speed. Once all the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat for another 1-2 minutes to ensure the frosting is smooth.
• Scrape the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds to combine.
• Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of the heavy cream. Mix on low speed until combined. If the frosting is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of heavy cream and continue mixing.
• If necessary, add up to an additional 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to adjust the consistency of the frosting. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar, and if it’s too stiff, add more heavy cream as needed. Mix until the frosting reaches your desired consistency—smooth, fluffy, and easy to spread.

To Assemble

• Spread the frosting on top of the cooled down cake, use an offset spatula to make it smooth.
• Place the ganache in a piping bag and snip the end with scissors, or use a spoon to drizzle it over the cake, it’s just much easier with a piping bag, and does a neater job.
• Melt the peanut butter by microwaving for 10 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted.
• Place the peanut butter in a piping bag also, if desired.
• Drizzle the peanut butter and the chocolate ganache over the cake, and top with chopped peanuts.

Notes

Storage: Store the cake in the fridge, in an air tight container for up to 5 days. This cake also freezer well, as long as you put it in an air tight container or freezer container. To thaw let it sit in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for a couple of hours.

Coffee: You can substitute the hot brewed coffee for hot water.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 240kcal

Keyword cake, chocolate, peanut butter

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