Peanut Butter Cake With Chocolate Frosting

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/22/22
Tested by
Kayla Hoang
Photo of Kayla Hoang
Tested by Kayla Hoang
Kayla Hoang is a freelance recipe developer, writer, and baker whose Bangladeshi and Vietnamese roots influence all she does. Her life revolves around food and she can almost always be found waiting by the oven for a fresh batch of cookies.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Peanut Butter Cake With Chocolate Frosting in a baking dish

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Cool Time: 30 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 16 to 20 servings

Here's a homemade peanut butter cake recipe you can make and bake when you need a cake in a hurry. Super moist and rich, this cake pairs well with the chocolate frosting recipe that is provided below.

However, if you are in a hurry, feel free to use a store-bought chocolate fudge or milk chocolate frosting to finish this cake. Both options are absolutely delectable and will have you and your guests coming back for seconds, and possibly thirds.

"This peanut butter cake was delicious and easy. The cake was nutty, not too sweet, and delightfully tender and fluffy. The frosting was super simple and straightforward to make. As someone who loves a salty-sweet combination, next time I might sprinkle crushed, salted peanuts on top to contrast with the sweetness of the frosting." —Kayla Hoang

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Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 1 cup (8-ounces) unsalted butter, more for the pan

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, more for the pan

  • 2 cups granulated sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/3 cup peanut butter

  • 3/4 cup milk

  • 2 large eggs

  • 2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Frosting

  • 2-ounces unsweetened chocolate

  • 4 tablespoons (2-ounces) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

  • 3 tablespoons milk, or evaporated milk

Steps to Make It

Make the Cake

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Cake ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan.

    Greased and floured baking pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda.

    Flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda in a bowl with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, peanut butter, and milk until the butter has melted and mixture is well combined and hot.

    Butter, peanut butter, and milk in a saucepan on a burner, with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Stir the hot butter-peanut butter mixture into the flour-sugar mixture until well combined.

    Stir the hot butter-peanut butter mixture into the flour-sugar mixture in a bowl with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.

    Eggs, buttermilk and vanilla in a bowl with a whisk

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Slowly beat the egg-buttermilk mixture into the peanut butter-flour mixture until smooth and well combined.

    Egg-buttermilk mixture combined with the peanut butter-flour mixture in a bowl with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Pour into the prepared baking pan.

    Cake batter in a prepared baking pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a rack to cool.

    Baked cake in a baking pan on a cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Make the Chocolate Frosting

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Chocolate frosting ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Melt the unsweetened chocolate in a heat-proof bowl or double boiler over simmering water. Set aside to cool, about 5 minutes.

    Melted chocolate in a double boiler, on a burner

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. In a medium bowl, combine the melted chocolate with the softened butter, and the vanilla. 

    Chocolate, butter and vanilla mixture in a bowl, with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually beat the confectioners' sugar into the chocolate mixture until well combined.

    Chocolate frosting in a bowl, with a hand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the milk while beating constantly. Continue beating until smooth and creamy. 

    Chocolate frosting in a bowl, with a hand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Slice and serve.

    Peanut Butter Cake With Chocolate Frosting in a baking pan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Tip

If you don't have buttermilk, put 1 1/2 teaspoons of vinegar in a liquid measure and add whole milk to the 2/3 cup line. Let it stand for about 5 minutes, or until the milk has soured.


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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
265 Calories
8g Fat
46g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16 to 20
Amount per serving
Calories 265
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 28mg 9%
Sodium 167mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 46g 17%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 35g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 38mg 3%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 104mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)