a giant Reese’s cake…you’re welcome 🤪

chocolate peanut butter cake (also known as 'the giant Reeces cake') on www.thegritandpolish.com

Brooks turned 5 last week and asked for a chocolate peanut butter cake. Actually he’s been asking for a chocolate peanut butter cake since his last birthday. Cakes are a big deal around here and the kids usually have them picked out months in advance. Thankfully, this “giant Reeses cake” did not disappoint. It’s sweet, oh so peanut buttery, unfussy, and a total crowd pleaser. The adults at our small socially-distanced outdoor birthday party loved it as much as the kids did!

At the urging of our guests, I’m sharing the recipe for this chocolate peanut butter cake today. It’s perfect for the peanut butter lovers among us and for Halloween enthusiasts (this would make the perfect halloween cake!). Basically it’s a giant Reese’s cake and you’re welcome for that 😉

There are so many great chocolate cake recipes out there, and I’ve tried my fair share. But my go-to recipe hasn’t changed in the better part of a decade. It’s a variation of Hershey’s ‘perfectly chocolate’ chocolate cake recipe, printed on the back of every coco powder box. I know, I know it’s not exactly sophisticated, but what it lacks for in depth it makes up for in simplicity and fool-proof-ery. This recipe has never let me down and it’s perfect for a kid’s birthday party.

But if you’re looking for something a little more elevated, my favorite chocolate cake recipe to date is Ina Garten’s Beatty’s chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream. It’s incredible. It does have coffee in it, so the kids aren’t huge fans, but I heartily recommend it.

I used chunky peanut butter for my frosting since that’s all we keep in our pantry, but creamy peanut butter would be ideal. The chunky peanut butter translated into a more humble-looking cake. The chopped nuts made a smooth frosting job impossible and the texture gave the cake a rustic charm, which I kinda dig. But whichever peanut butter you use, the frosting is delicious and oh so peanut-buttery!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake (aka a “giant Reeces cake”)

makes a two-layer 9” cake (OR a three-layer 6” cake)

cake recipe is based on Hershey’s ‘perfectly chocolate’ chocolate cake

INGREDIENTS

for the chocolate cake

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup Hershey’s special dark (or equivalent)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs, room temperature

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

for the peanut butter buttercream

1/2 cup butter

1 cup peanut butter, creamy pb is ideal, but chunky will work (I used Adams chunky pb)

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk + more as needed

for assembly

extra peanut butter at room temperature (optional)

Reece’s pieces, peanut butter cups, or peanuts for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease cake pans. I also like to use round parchment paper liners down to prevent sticking.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix with a whisk. Attach bowl to stand mixer and add eggs, milk, canola oil, and vanilla. Mix on medium until combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl and then stir in boiling water. Batter will be thin.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for about 50 minutes (check at 35 minutes if using the 6” pans) or until a toothpick comes out clean.

For the frosting, beat butter and peanut butter on high until fully combined. Add powdered sugar and beat until frosting starts coming together. Add 1/4 cup of milk and continue beating until light and fluffy. If frosting feels spreadable and light, it’s ready. But if it’s still little thick and dry, add additional milk a teaspoon or two at a time, and continue beating until frosting is fluffy and spreadable.

To assemble, cut the cake tops off of all but one of the cake layers (the uncut layer will go on top of the cake). Place first layer on a cake platter and frost the top. Before placing on the next layer, I added a thin layer of pure peanut butter to the bottom of the second layer. This adds an undeniably peanut butter note to the cake and if you’re a fan of the stuff, I highly recommend it! Place the second layer on, add a thick layer of frosting on top and repeat for the third layer (if you have 3 layers). You can choose to frost the sides of the cake, do a crumb coat, or leave them bare. Add chopped Reece’s, peanut butter cups, or peanuts to the top of the cake if desired.