Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

A delicious and decadent chocolate peanut butter cake made of simple ingredients that is super easy to make! Since this cake is made from scratch, you avoid the unhealthy ingredients of store-bought cake mixes and frostings. A perfect healthier birthday cake or dessert. Also enjoy my favorite peanut butter smoothie and my peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate peanut butter cup cake on a cake stand.

This chocolate peanut butter cake is SO decadent and full of rich chocolate peanut-buttery flavor that it reminds us so much of our favorite classic chocolate peanut butter cup treats.

It’s such a fancy looking cake that it seems like I spent all day baking in the kitchen, but trust me… it is super easy to make and it definitely doesn’t take all day. 🙂

Since I make this peanut butter chocolate cake with simple easy-to-find ingredients from scratch, it’s a healthier option to store-bought cakes or cake mixes and frostings which tend to be filled with mystery ingredients like modified corn starches, chemicals and hydrogenated oils. No thanks, we don’t want to celebrate birthdays and special occasions with yucky ingredients!

Don’t worry though, if a boxed cake mix is what you have on hand for now, you can still follow this recipe for an amazing chocolate peanut butter cup cake!

If you want to save time and make the cake & frosting a day ahead, and assemble the cake the next day, you can definitely do that!

A wedge of chocolate peanut butter cake, topped with chopped peanut butter cups is being served.

Ingredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

homemade chocolate cake mix (see the full recipe here), or use a natural store-bought chocolate cake mix
eggs
butter
milk
vanilla extract (make your own)
peanut butter frosting (see the full recipe here)
peanut butter cups (store-bought or make them yourself, see the full recipe here)

A side view of a fully frosted chocolate peanut butter cake topped with chopped chocolate peanut butter cups.

How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Make the chocolate cakes:

1 batch homemade chocolate cake mix recipe (see recipe here)
3 large eggs
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled slightly to room temperature
1-1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract (make your own)

A homemade chocolate cake is a round 8 x 2 cake pan.

Method for making the chocolate cakes:

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare the homemade chocolate cake mix recipe as directed in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until JUST combined. Do not overstir the batter. A few lumps are fine.

Step 2. Butter and flour two 8″x 2″cake pans: divide the batter evenly between the pans.

Step 3. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle, adding additional time as necessary. Allow to cool completely before icing and/or decorating.

Make the peanut butter frosting:

16 Tbsp unsalted butter, soft
1 cup peanut butter, smooth
1 tsp vanilla extract (make your own)
3 – 3 1/4 cup powdered sugar (make your own)
4 Tbsp heavy whipping cream

Homemade peanut butter frosting in a stainless steel mixing bowl, mixed with a spatula.

Method for making peanut butter frosting:

Step 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, use the flat paddle beat the butter on medium high until it is very, very smooth. Pause the mixer every minute or so to scrape down the sides.

Step 2. When the butter is very smooth, add the peanut butter and vanilla. Beat on medium high until the butter and peanut butter are thoroughly incorporated. You may have to pause the mixer to scrape down the sides a couple times.

Step 3. Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, letting each measure incorporate into the mixture before adding the next half cup.

Step 4. When you’ve added 3 cups powdered sugar, taste the frosting and if desired, add the remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar and mix well. The frosting will look a bit grainy at this point. That’s normal.

Step 5. Remove the paddle blade, scrape the frosting from the blade into the bowl, and secure the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on high and add the heavy whipping cream 1 Tbsp at a time, letting the mixer incorporate each tablespoon for about 30 seconds before adding another.

Step 6. When you’ve add all the heavy whipping cream, let the mixer whip for another 30 seconds and then turn it off. The frosting will lighten up in color and become incredibly fluffy. Use on your cakes, cupcakes, or fillings as desired!

How to Assemble Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Step 1. Once your cakes are cooled completely, and your peanut butter frosting is made, chop about 10 peanut butter cups into small pieces and set aside.

Note: If you’d like, slice 4 or 5 peanut butter cups in half for finishing the top of the cake (see photos for decorating tips).

The bottom layer of chocolate peanut butter cake topped with peanut butter frosting and chopped peanut butter cups - on a cake stand.

Step 2. Place the first completely cooled cake layer on a cake stand. Spread the peanut butter frosting on top and then top with half of the chopped peanut butter cups (these will form the middle layer).

Step 3. Place the second completely cooled cake layer on top of the frosted bottom layer and then spread the peanut butter frosting on the top and sides of both layers, covering the whole cake.

Step 4. Sprinkle the remaining chopped peanut butter cups over the top of the fully frosted cake and decorate with 1/2 slices of peanut butter cups (one for each slice you’ll cut).

Note: If you want to get fancy with your decorating, you can reserve 3/4 cup of frosting for decorating the top and sides using a pastry bag and star tip to pipe frosting around the edges of the cake.

A delicious slice of peanut butter chocolate cake with a little crushed peanut butter cup on top.

Notes for this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Recipe

For the peanut butter frosting:

There is no need to add salt because of the peanut butter.
The heavy whipping cream is not optional because this is what makes it so creamy!
I have only used natural peanut butter (Skippy’s natural) which contains peanuts and salt, but Jif or regular Skippy should work. If your peanut butter has added sugar (including high fructose corn syrup), you may want to use less powdered sugar.
If you want to make your cakes & frosting a day ahead and assemble your cake the next day, feel free to do that to save time.

Chocolate peanut butter cake on a plate and sliced with a fork. Ready to be enjoyed.

FAQs For Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Can you put peanut butter in the middle of a cake?

This chocolate peanut butter cake recipe calls for my silky smooth homemade peanut butter frosting that you put in the middle layer of the cake.

How to make the chocolate cake moist and fluffy?

Sifting the flour before adding it to the batter adds air and makes it lighter. When you do this it will result in a super spongy and fluffy cake!

Why is my peanut butter frosting separating?

Homemade peanut butter frosting might separate if the ingredients are either too cold or too warm. Make sure your butter and peanut butter are at room temperature before your start your recipe.

More Easy Desserts Made With Peanut Butter

30 Minute Dinners Sample Meal Plan

Sign up to get instant access to my 30 Minute Dinners Sample Meal Plan, complete with recipes and step-by-step instructions!

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Author: Tiffany
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 1 layer cake 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Mix and Bake
Cuisine: American

Instructions

Make the chocolate cakes:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare the homemade chocolate cake mix recipe as directed in a large bowl and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until JUST combined. Do not over stir the batter. A few lumps are fine.
Butter and flour two 8″x 2″cake pans: divide the batter evenly between the pans.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle, adding additional time as necessary. Allow to cool completely before icing and/or decorating.

Make the peanut butter frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, use the flat paddle beat the butter on medium high until it is very, very smooth. Pause the mixer every minute or so to scrape down the sides.
When the butter is very smooth, add the peanut butter and vanilla. beat on medium high until the butter and peanut butter are thoroughly incorporated. You may have to pause the mixer to scrape down the sides a couple times.
Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, letting each measure incorporate into the mixture before adding the next half cup.
When you’ve added 3 cups powdered sugar, taste the frosting and if desired, add the remaining ¼ cup powdered sugar and mix well. The frosting will look a bit grainy at this point. That’s normal.
Remove the paddle blade, scrape the frosting from the blade into the bowl, and secure the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on high and add the heavy whipping cream 1 Tbsp at a time, letting the mixer incorporate each teaspoon for about 30 seconds before adding another.
When you’ve add all the heavy whipping cream, let the mixer whip for another 30 seconds and then turn it off. the frosting will lighten up in color and become incredibly fluffy. use on your cakes, cupcakes, or fillings as desired!

Assemble the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake:

Once your cakes are cooled completely, and your peanut butter frosting is made, chop about 10 peanut butter cups into small pieces and set aside.
Place the first completely cooled cake layer on a cake stand. Spread the peanut butter frosting on top and then top with half of the chopped peanut butter cups (these will form the middle layer).
Place the second completely cooled cake layer on top of the frosted bottom layer and then spread the peanut butter frosting on the top and sides of both layers, covering the whole cake.
Sprinkle the remaining chopped peanut butter cups over the top of the fully frosted cake and decorate with ½ slices of peanut butter cups (one for each slice you’ll cut).

Note: If you want to get fancy with your decorating, you can reserve ¾ cup of frosting for decorating the top and sides using a pastry bag and star tip to pipe frosting around the edges of the cake.

Notes

For the peanut butter frosting:

There is no need to add salt because of the peanut butter.
The heavy whipping cream is not optional because this is what makes it so creamy!
I have only used natural peanut butter (Skippy’s natural) which contains peanuts and salt, but Jif or regular Skippy should work. if your peanut butter has added sugar (including high fructose corn syrup), you may want to use less powdered sugar.
If you want to make your cakes and frosting a day ahead and assemble your cake the next day, feel free to do that to save time.