Mega Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really shouldn't be left at home alone with a carton of turkey eggs and a jar of peanut butter.



*NOTE: I used turkey eggs because I got some from a friend... who has turkeys. But chicken eggs or duck eggs would be just as awesome.




Mega Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
adapted from here

For the Cake:
325g (2 1/4 cups) plain flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
180g (3/4 cup) smooth peanut butter
85g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
110g (1/2 cup) firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs (See *Note above)
285ml (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) buttermilk

For the Frosting:
250g (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
125g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
100g (1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons) smooth peanut butter
Pinch fine sea salt
250g (2 cups) icing sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Ganache:
100g (3 1/2 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped
75ml (2 1/2 fl oz) cream
Chopped toasted peanuts

Make the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Spray two 20 cm (8 inch) round cake pans with cooking oil spray and line the bases with baking paper. Set side.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the peanut butter, butter and both sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and add one third of the dry ingredients, followed my half of the buttermilk. Add another third of the dry ingredients, followed by the second half of the buttermilk. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting:
Put the cream cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add the butter and beat until creamy. Add the peanut butter, salt, icing sugar and vanilla and beat for 2 - 3 minutes until fluffy. Set aside.

Make the Ganache:
Put the chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until nearly boiling. Pour it over the chocolate and leave to sit for 2 minutes, or until the chocolate has melted. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Assembly:
Put one of the cakes onto a cake plate. Top with a quarter of the frosting and spread to the edges. Place the second cake on top and spoon the remaining frosting on the top. Spread the frosting over the top of the cake and down the sides, making sure you cover the entire cake.

Pour the cooled (but not set) ganache over the top of the cake, letting it drip tantalisingly down the sides of the cake. Scatter the chopped peanuts over the top of the cake.