Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Icing

I have a very good friend named Rachel, and I love Rachel.

This is Rachel and her graduation party cake. That’s her friend Cory in the background.

Mmm… Chocolate and peanut butter.

For the past few years I have been extremely blessed to have gotten to know Rachel. She is an amazing woman who can make me laugh harder than anyone I know. Rachel is graduating from college on Saturday and is going to be a wonderful teacher. Way to go Rachel!

The really amazing thing about Rachel is that she has more friends than anyone I have ever met. Last weekend she had a graduation party, and she asked me if I would be willing to bring some of the food. It was going to be a morning party, so brunch-like items and cake were on the list of things to bring. I asked her how many people she was expecting, thinking I might be cooking for a small group of about 15, but her initial response was, “Well, I have about 20 confirmed but I’m still waiting on RSVPs from the other 30.” Now, that’s just Tulsa people who she knows and sees on a regular basis without stretches to out of town or acquaintances. When these people came into the house every person was Rachel’s best friend. Everyone felt like they knew her best- which is exactly how a good friend should make you feel. It was so fun to watch everyone gather together to celebrate Rachel’s accomplishments. I’m so proud of her!

So, being so proud I knew that a really good cake was in order. Her only instruction was that she wanted “anything chocolate”, so I was happy to find a chocolate cake recipe that I thought would speak “celebration”. I found the perfect recipe right away.

Thank God for Deb and the Smitten Kitchen. She find the best recipes and shows just how great they can be. I knew if I went to her website I would find a list of cakes she has made and be able to pick something wonderful, and I was right. I went straight to her recipe list and saw a recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, which I instantly decided on making. Let me just say, this cake was wonderful. I don’t like chocolate cake, but I do LOVE peanut butter, and this cake was something that even I enjoyed. It was a huge hit and was followed up with compliments for the rest of the week. I saw my friends last night and they were still talking about how much they loved it. If you’re looking for something delicious and impressive, this is a great recipe. It’s not a difficult cake to make either if you know a few little helpful tricks.

Important Notes

#1: Line your pans with butter, wax paper, and more butter before pouring the batter into them. Chocolate cakes are especially sticky. I am used to making white cakes, and I could definitely tell a difference when I made this one. My white cakes fall out smoothly and hassle-free, but this cake was different. The wax paper definitely saved me from a crumbly mess.

# 2: Freeze the cake layers after they bake (preferably next to your frozen bananas). This is extremely important. Chocolate cake is very crumbly, and if you freeze the layers for about 45 minutes before you ice them you will be able to spread the icing on much more easily.

#3: Line your cake plate edges under the cake with wax paper, but only go under the cake about 1/2 an inch! I accidentally let a piece of wax paper get too far under this cake this time and when I tried to pull it out some of the cake started to come with it. Luckily, the icing was so thick and stiff from being so cold that I was able to repair it easily. The wax paper really does help to keep your cake plate clean, but just be careful not to go too far under the bottom layer of your cake.

#4: Do a crumb coat of icing! This cake was really crumbly and the first layer of icing was filled with black specks of cake traveling to the outer frosting. Simply put a very thin layer of icing on the cake, then put the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes before icing the rest of the cake. The first layer will help keep the crumbs in place and you will end up with an iced cake that is virtually crumb-free! This particular cake’s has a very thick peanut butter icing, and I ended up using almost all of it for the crumb coat and had to make more. Just keep that in mind.

#5: After chocolate layer is poured onto the peanut butter icing at the end, put the cake in the fridge for an hour to let the chocolate set. The way that the chocolate layer looks lying over the peanut butter is fabulous and decadent, and it is what makes people stare at it longingly and beg you to cut into it. You don’t want this layer dripping too thin, so a good chilling will keep the chocolate in place where you want it.

So, those are the 5 simple rules to follow. Now I think you’re ready for the recipe. I really hope you enjoy it:

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen who adapted from Sky High. 

At Rachel’s Party this cake served everyone who wanted a piece, which was about 20 pieces. It is rich and dense and you can serve small pieces to a lot of people.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil, such as canola, soybean or vegetable blend
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanut brittle (Deb and I both skipped this)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cakepans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely.

4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. Decorate the top with chopped peanut brittle (if you want).

Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups **Molly note: I needed more than this. I found the icing was so thick and sticky that I ran out, and then I made 1/2 this recipe again to finish it off. So, Doubling this recipe would give you too much, but you may not have enough if you just do this. You might want to just have some extra ingredients on hand just in case.

10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

8 ounces seimsweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half

1. In the top of d double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.