Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake for a Crowd
User Reviews
5
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake for a Crowd
Description
This recipe makes a large rectangular chocolate cake layered with creamy peanut butter frosting, suitable for many guests. The cake batter blends all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, instant coffee, and boiling water. The coffee is optional but enhances the chocolate flavor subtly. The batter is thin, resulting in a tender, moist cake after baking for about 45 minutes.
The peanut butter buttercream frosting is whipped from softened unsalted butter, sifted icing sugar, peanut butter spread, salt, and milk. The frosting is fluffy and smooth, balancing richness and sweetness with a mild salty note. The cake is cooled fully before applying the frosting, which can be topped with chocolate chips, peanut butter drizzle, cream, or chopped peanut butter cups to add complementary textures and flavors.
This cake serves well at larger gatherings, parties, or celebrations. It pairs with coffee or milk and can be portioned into many slices. Its moist texture and combination of chocolate and peanut butter flavors appeal to many palates.
Use softened butter and sift icing sugar for best frosting texture. Regular cocoa powder works well, though Dutch-processed can deepen flavor. Adjust peanut butter quantities based on whether using salted or natural peanut butter to maintain frosting consistency and flavor. Cool cake fully before frosting for easier spreading and cleaner slices.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups flour , plain / all purpose
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder , unsweetened (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda) (Note 2)
- 2 cups white sugar or caster/superfine sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt yes, really!, cooking salt
- 2 egg ~55-65g / 2 oz each - see here for size info, large
- 1 cup milk (low or full fat)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil , or other plain flavoured oil like canola, grapeseed, rapeseed, sunflower
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp instant coffee OPTIONAL (Note 3, powder
- 1 cup water makes the chocolate flavour "bloom", boiling
Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
- 250g / 2 sticks butter softened, unsalted
- 4 cups (500 g) icing sugar sifted (Note 4, soft, aka powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 g) peanut butter spread, not pure) (Note 5, smooth
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt cooking salt
- 1 tbsp milk
Toppings (optional, recommended)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips US: semi sweet chips, or melts
- 2 tbsp cream (thickened/heavy or pure, not low fat)
- 3 tbsp peanut butter , warmed in microwave to make it runny
- 120g / 4 oz Reese's peanut butter cups mini
- 10+ Reese's peanut butter cups halved, miniature
- 1/4 cup peanuts finely chopped, salted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C°/350°F (160°C fan).
- Grease a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" metal cake pan with butter. Then line with paper with overhang, to make it easier to lift out. (For round pans, see Note 4).
Batter:
- Dry ingredients - Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add Sugar and salt. Whisk briefly to combine.
- Wet ingredients - Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk well to combine until lump free - about 30 seconds.
- Boiling water - Add the coffee powder then the boiling water. Whisk to incorporate. The batter is VERY thin (see video). Pour batter into the cake pan.
Bake:
- Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then fully cool on a wire rack before frosting (~2 hours).
Peanut butter buttercream frosting
- Beat butter for 3 minutes on high until soft and fluffy, using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or handheld beater.
- Icing sugar - Add icing sugar in 3 lots. Beat it in, starting on low speed then increasing the speed (to avoid a snow storm). Once incorporated, add more icing sugar and repeat.
- Beat 3 minutes – Once the icing sugar has all been added, added the peanut butter, salt and milk. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes to make it really nice and fluffy. Ready to use!
Decorating
- Chocolate drizzle - Place the chocolate and cream in a small bowl. Microwave in 15 second increments on high, stirring in between, until smooth. Cool for 10 minutes before using.
- Frost - Spread all the frosting across the surface of the cake, from edge to edge.
- Decorate - Drizzle the top randomly with half the chocolate drizzle and melted peanut butter. Sprinkle with the peanut butter cups. Drizzle with remaining chocolate and peanut butter and sprinkle with the peanuts.
- Serve immediately! Cut into pieces as large (or small 😢) as you want. Refrigerate leftovers for 5 days though always bring to room temperature (because the frosting goes hard when cold).
Notes
- Using instant coffee powder enhances the chocolate flavor without adding coffee taste.
- Use softened unsalted butter and sifted icing sugar for a smooth and fluffy peanut butter frosting.
- If using natural unsweetened peanut butter, reduce quantity to avoid overly loose frosting.
- Cool the cake completely on a wire rack before applying frosting to ensure easier spreading.
- For multiple layers, adjust baking time and pan sizes accordingly; the batter is thin—use liners to prevent leaks in round pans.
- The frosted cake can be refrigerated for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20- 25 people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 395 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 395cal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 51g | 17% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 0.3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 38mg | 13% |
| Sodium | 258mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 177mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 41g | 82% |
| Vitamin A | 308IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 0.03mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 45mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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