Peanut Butter Cake Baked Until the Center Springs Back

Set out unsalted butter soft and pliable, smooth peanut butter, and granulated sugar before you start Peanut Butter Cake Baked Until the Center Springs Back. The batch is written for 16 slices.

Count on 25 minutes of prep, 20 minutes of cooking, about 45 minutes from the first measurement to the plate.

Ingredients Method

What goes in the bowl

For the Cake

• ¾ cup unsalted butter soft and pliable
• ½ cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 ½ cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

For the Buttercream

• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup PB2 powdered peanut butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup heavy cream cold
• 6 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• ½ cup roasted salted peanuts chopped

How the cooking goes

Make the Cake

1. Warm the oven to 350°F (conventional) or 325°F (convection). Spray two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment circles.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Keep it to one side.
3. In the bowl of a electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, peanut butter, and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
4. Put eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Beat in vanilla extract.
5. With the mixer on low, add dry ingredients in three additions alternating with milk in two additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated. Finish folding by hand if needed.
6. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans (about 585g per pan for 2 layers). Smooth tops.
7. Oven-bake 20–22 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
8. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges, invert onto wire racks, remove parchment, and cool until it is no longer warm before frosting.

Make the Buttercream

1. In a electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high until the texture looks smooth and lightened, about 2–3 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to low then add powdered peanut butter ½ cup at a time, mixing fully between additions.
3. Add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time on low speed until fully incorporated.
4. Put vanilla and smooth peanut butter. Mix on medium until cohesive and smooth.
5. Switch to whisk attachment. With a mixer on medium-low, slowly add cold heavy cream. Increase speed to medium-high and whip 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Assemble

1. Place one cake layer on a cake stand. Spread about 1 cup buttercream evenly over the top.
2. Top with a second layer and refrigerate 15–20 minutes to set.
3. Frost top and sides with remaining buttercream. Smooth with a bench scraper or swirl decoratively. Garnish with chopped peanuts if desired.

After it comes off the heat

Let the pan settle before you slice, so the crumb stays together. Cover leftovers once they are cool.

If you want another plate from Cakes, open Chocolate Raspberry Cake Baked Until the Center Springs Back and Apricot Brandy Pound Cake Baked Until the Center Springs Back.