Shelly's Recipe

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE

Category: Cakes

For the cake:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 vanilla bean, cut in half and seeds removed
2 eggs
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup brewed coffee
2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 325. Butter two 8-inch round pans (do not use springform pans for this recipe — they will leak!). Line the bottom of each pan with a cutout layer of parchment.

Mix the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until well combined. Add the eggs, salt and vanilla bean seeds and mix thoroughly. Dissolve the cocoa powder in the cup of coffee and add to the sugar mixture. Meanwhile, sift together the baking powder, baking soda and cake flour. Add half the dry ingredients to the batter, and then add 1/2 cup of the milk. Add the other half of the dry ingredients and then the other 1/2 cup of milk. Mix to combine, and pour the batter into the two cake pans, tapping them to eliminate air bubbles in the batter.

Bake the cakes for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with crumbs attached. Allow the cakes to cool completely, and then freeze them briefly for about an hour (this makes them easier to work with).

For the frosting:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces, softened
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, mini size, roughly chopped

Bring a pot of water to a simmer on the stovetop. In a separate bowl over the simmering water, beat together the egg yolk and 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar, until the mixture is hot to the touch, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes (or transfer the mixture to a new bowl), and then beat in the peanut butter, and then the butter. Beat in 1 cup of confectioners sugar and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream with 1 cup of confectioners sugar until the whipped cream forms stiff peaks. Add the whipped cream to the rest of the frosting and beat until combined. Chill in the fridge until the cake is ready to be frosted.

To frost the cake, place one layer on a cake stand, and spread a generous half cup of the frosting on top of it, not allowing the frosting to come quite to the edges of the cake. Place the second layer on top and frost the entire cake with a thin crumb coat. Frost the cake with the remaining frosting, and press the chopped peanut butter cups into the sides to decorate. Serve!