The delicious combination of chocolate and peanut butter come together beautifully in this Homemade Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting.
Chocolate Cake With Peanut Butter Frosting
I’ve been making this delicious old fashioned chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting for 30 yrs. I have an old recipe binder that I started years ago when I was bitten by the baking bug. The pages are yellowed now and some of the recipes have broken free from the binder and are tucked in there as best they can be.
That’s where this recipe has lived for many years. I can’t tell you where it originated from, but I can tell you that my sister-in-law gave it to me.
In April 2008 this chocolate cake made it’s debut as the first recipe I ever put on my blog. It’s very special to me and brings back memories of birthday parties and special occasions with my kids.
So what makes this Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting so special? The flavor is very special. Chocolate and coffee combined give you a spectacular mocha flavor. The texture of the cake is very moist and soft. The Peanut Butter Frosting makes the cake fantastic. Who can resist the combination of chocolate and peanut butter.
I make this in a 13×9 inch pan, I’ve also made it as a layer cake. if you don’t need that much cake, half the recipe and make it in a 9 inch cake pan. When you make this, be prepared to give out the recipe, it’s really that good.
Any way you make it, your going to love it, especially the peanut butter frosting. I’ve always frosted this cake with peanut butter frosting but feel free to use the frosting of your choice. I hope you enjoy Homemade Chocolate Cake With Peanut Butter Frosting for as many years as I have, ENJOY!
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Chocolate Cake With Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tsps vanilla
- 1 cup brewed coffee instant coffee will do in a pinch
- Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 TBLS milk or as needed
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
Instructions
Cake Directions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 13x9 inch baking pan.
- Mix the flour sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a large bowl.
- Beat the eggs with an electric mixer until they are bright yellow and slightly thick. Add the oil, coffee and vanilla to the eggs, mix until well incorporated. Add the flour to the mix, alternating with the buttermilk, mixing after each addition until just incorporated. Start with the flour first, then buttermilk, flour, buttermilk and end with flour.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. I always hold the pan up a few inches from the counter and let it fall to get rid of air bubbles in the batter. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Test for doneness with a toothpick.
Frosting Directions
- Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy. Frost cake after it has cooled completely.
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Hi-
How would I make this into a 2 layer cake? I have made your recipe many times in a 13×9, and it’s perfect, but I would like to make a layer cake. Do I need to adjust the cooking time? I don’t want to mess it up! Thank you!
I made this into 24 cupcakes. Cooked at 300 for 25 mins (but I started checking them at 20 mins). They were AMAZING!! I brought them to a work party and everyone loved them. One coworker even said they were the best cupcakes she ever had in her life (and ate 3!)
Thank so much for this recipe!!
Oh Deanna! Thank you so much for coming back to tell me, I love it!! Could they tell there was coffee in the cake? Some people can’t tell but love the flavor.
Can this recipe be made into cupcakes? I am planning to make it in a few days for a friends birthday! Thanks
Absolutely Cindy just decrease the baking time.
I made this cake for our friends birthdays that we just celebrated a cpl days ago. Wow, great recipe Bunny. It was delicious and moist. This will now become my go-to chocolate cake recipe. By far the best chocolate cake. I am excited to make cupcakes, using the recipe. Thank you!
I’ve been making it for 30 years Ally, you just can’t beat this old fashioned cake! Thanks for coming to tell me you made it!
Question hot coffee, warm or cold?
Cold coffee Bridget. Or room temperature, either is fine.
I’m making this for the second time for my granddaughters birthday! The first time it was great! Thank you!!
Awe Luz, thank you so much. I hope your grandbaby loves it!
Can I freeze this cake with the frosting on it
Here’s an article from The Kitchn that says you can! https://goo.gl/ye2nMN
Happy Anniversary!
Great recipe but… the first time I made this in a 13x9x2” pan – turned out great everyone raved! Just made it this morning in two metal pans so I could make a birthday cake for our adult son and it wouldn’t come out of pans! Just a word of warning grease and FLOUR pan if using metal.
What can I use if I don’t want to put coffee in the cake since I have reflux and I don’t like coffee?
Collen try using hot chocolate. Take the 1 cup of water and add maybe, half an envelope of hot chocolate powder to it.
Great recipe – thank you! I added chuncks of dark chocolate and roasted chopped nuts (hazelnut and walnut). I also wanted to add some Jack Daniels whiskey to the batter but didn’t dare in the end as it may change the moisture and therefore outcome of the cake. Added the whiskey to the frosting instead.
You are some amazing baker Rolf! Wonderful additions to the cake and frosting!
Bunny, do you think this would hold up as a bundt cake, too? I’d like to drizzle it with a chocolate glaze.
I’ve never made it in a bundt cake pan Jeanette, I’ve always used a 13×9 inch pan. If you do it come back and let me know how it went.
Hi Bunny
Is it caster sugar or normal sugar would love to try the cake
Normal sugar Ranie.
Made this for the second time for a big after Thanksgiving party (had 20 people so made 2 of them). This cake is.to.die.for! So incredible! The frosting alone speak for itself, but then on top of this super moist, great flavor chocolate cake…it’s fantastic! My husband just said, it’s now on the top of his favorite cakes ever! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Donna!
oh heck yeah! I miss Peanut Butter desserts. My daughter is allergic but we sneak some treats on occasion when she’s out for the day. This might be our next sneak treat!
Yumm, totally drooling. This would make an excellent Easter dessert, thank you!
Two of my favorite things, chocolate and Peanut butter. I’m n love with this cake.
Seriously, is there anything better than the combo of chocolate and peanut butter? This cake combines two of my favorite flavors. I like how you have added the coffee flavor as well!
What a perfectly frosted cake! Looks delicious; I’ll be making this for my husband’s birthday. He will love it!
Thank you Beth
This is an old-fashioned, moist, nice and easy cake with wonderful chocolate/mocha flavor. I’ve made it any number of times since you first published the recipe, and people always love it.
I have never felt a need to tweak the cake recipe (beyond using non-dairy milk soured with lemon juice), but I’ve used it for cupcakes more often than a regular cake. I don’t like peanuts or peanut butter so I’ve changed the frosting in a number of different ways, including substituting almond and other nut butters. I also like it with a very rich chocolate frosting or a ganache. It’s also quite good with an old-fashioned broiled topping, which is my favorite of all.
Thanks for sharing a timeless recipe that never fails.
Thank you Jane
THAT PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING!!!! This whole cake looks amazing. I can totally understand why you have to be prepared to hand out the recipe (isn’t it amazing to just send a link with photos and the recipe to someone when they ask?)!!
Thank you Luci