Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake is pure indulgence! A rich, moist chocolate cake is layered with creamy peanut butter frosting and chopped mini Reese’s for an epic dessert. Whether you use a boxed mix for convenience or go the homemade route, this is a must-try for any peanut butter and chocolate lover!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 500

Author Kim

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 cup creamy peanut butter

For the frosting:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter preferably Skippy or Jif for a smooth texture
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping ideas:

1 cup Reese’s minis or chopped Reese's miniature cups
1/2 cup chocolate chips melted
1/4 cup peanut butter heat in the microwave for a few seconds
chopped peanuts
peanut butter chips

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8x8-inch square pan (or 9x9-inch pan if you prefer a slightly thinner cake). Line with parchment paper with an overhang on all four sides for easier removal, and spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the package instructions. Add the 1 cup peanut butter to the batter and mix until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared square pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cake cools, prepare the frosting: In a bowl, beat together the peanut butter, powdered sugar, softened butter, heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
Once the cake is fully cooled, spread a layer of frosting on top of the cake. Top with chopped mini Reese's, melted chocolate, and other toppings of choice.
Cut into 12 pieces and serve!

Notes

No Boxed Cake Mix? Make It from Scratch!
If you don't have or prefer not to use a boxed cake mix, you can easily make the cake from scratch. For the dry ingredients, you'll need 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. For the wet ingredients, you'll need 3 large eggs, 1 cup water (or milk for a richer taste), 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 cup peanut butter.

Simply whisk the dry ingredients together, add the wet ingredients, and mix until smooth. Bake as directed in the main recipe.

Tips:

Cake texture: If you want a denser cake, you can reduce the amount of water or milk slightly. For a fluffier texture, add a little more liquid.
Use a larger pan: You can also make this cake in a rectangular pan if you prefer. If using a larger pan, like a 9x13-inch, the cake will bake a bit faster, so check for doneness starting around 25-30 minutes. You will also end up with a thinner layer of cake, still delicious! And it will make more servings, perfect if you're feeding a crowd.
Cake mix: I used Pillsbury Chocolate Cake Mix which required 1 cup water, 1/2 cup oil, and 3 eggs.
What if I don't have mini Reese's? You can use regular-size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped into smaller pieces. You could also use another candy of your choice, like Snickers or M&Ms if you prefer.

Nutrition