Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

Summer is truly escaping, and one week from today, I will be moving back into my dorm! Since I have been busy working as a nanny, volunteering at the hospital, and spending time with friends and family, I have had little time to bake and blog! However, I had to make a decked out dessert for my mom's birthday. This Reese's peanut butter chocolate cake certainly fit the bill. I had added this cake to my Pinterest board after seeing it on another blog, and I immediately knew this dessert was right up my mom's alley. The chocolate cake is moist, the frosting has the perfect sweet peanut butter flavor, and the smooth chocolate peanut butter ganache makes the top of the cake pretty. And who doesn't love pieces of Reese's peanut butter cups in their cake? This cake is fit for a queen (or any super mom), tastes even better when refrigerated, and is perfect for any chocolate peanut butter lover.

REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 12-ounce bag mini Reese's peanut butter cups

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
1 cup butter
2 cups peanut butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup of milk (more or less to achieve desired consistency)

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER GANACHE
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 tbsp. peanut butter
1 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the chocolate cake: Combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat until combined. Add one cup boiling water. The cake batter will be thinner than most batters and this is expected. Pour batter into 3 8-inch pans lined with wax paper. I tried to make the cakes by just spraying the pans with baking spray, and they stuck to the pan and broke when I tried to remove them, so use wax paper! Bake 18-22 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

To make the peanut butter frosting: Beat butter and peanut butter. Gradually add powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency is achieved.

To make the chocolate peanut butter ganache: Heat the heavy cream over medium heat and remove from stove once it just starts to boil. Pour heavy cream over chocolate chips and peanut butter. Let sit for two minutes, then slowly stir until fully mixed. Stir in vanilla and corn syrup and allow to cool. Ganache will thicken upon cooling.

To assemble, place one layer of cake on cake stand. Set aside 12 mini Reese's cups for top of cake. Chop the rest of the Reese's cups into quarters. Frost top of first layer with frosting. Add half of the chopped Reese's cups. Place the next layer of cake on top. Again, frost the cake and add remaining chopped Reese's. Place the final layer of cake. Frost the entire cake. Pour ganache on top of cake. Optional: drizzle some of the frosting on top of the ganache. Place 12 remaining Reese's on top of cake.

Recipe from Bird on a Cake

Enjoy!
Bridget

Caramel Layer Cake

One of my all-time favorite movies is The Help. Based on the book by Kathryn Stockett, the movie is emotionally touching, yet full of charming wit. One of my favorite characters in the movie is Minnie Jackson. Minnie's character makes me laugh until I cry, and she is famous for her caramel cake. I couldn't wait to make my own version of this incredibly sweet traditional Southern cake. I made a layer cake, added a caramel filling, and came up with a delicious cream cheese frosting that helps balance out the sweetness of the caramel. The four cake layers are moist and not overly sweet. If you are in the mood for a fat slice of cake and tall glass of milk, this cake will certainly satisfy your sweet tooth!

CARAMEL LAYER CAKE
1 cup butter (room temperature)
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
1/2 cup light sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla.

Add flour, salt, baking powder, milk, and light sour cream and beat until combined.

Pour equal amounts of batter into 2 prepared pans.

Bake for 33 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and cake springs back when poked.

Cake recipe from Scrumpdillyicious

CARAMEL FILLING
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 large egg
12 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup light sour cream
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla

Heat 1/2 cup of sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until it turns golden brown.

In a separate large saucepan over medium heat, melt together 8 tbsp. of the butter, egg, milk, light sour cream, and the remaining 2 cups of sugar.

Add the browned sugar to the large saucepan with the rest of the ingredients.

Let simmer over medium heat for about 12 minutes, stirring continuously with a heat proof spatula.

Remove caramel from heat.

In large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, 4 tbsp. butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Add the caramel mixture and beat until well mixed. Allow to cool slightly.

CARAMEL CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
8 ounces cream cheese
4 tbsp. butter (room temperature)
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup caramel filling (from recipe above)

Beat the cream cheese and butter.

Gradually add the powdered sugar.

Add 1/4 cup of the caramel filling mixture to the frosting.

CAKE ASSEMBLY

Once the cake is completely cool, cut each cake in half horizontally using a serrated knife.

If the caramel filling has cooled completely, warm it in the microwave until it is a spreadable consistency.

Layer the cake with the caramel filling. Reserve some of the caramel filling to drizzle on the top of the cake.

Spread the frosting on the entire top and sides of the cake.

Drizzle the reserve caramel filling on the top of the cake.

Optional - pipe large star drops of frosting on the outer edge of the top of the cake using a decorating tip.


ENJOY!