Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cake

I wish I could blame my chocolate-peanut butter addiction on pregnancy, but alas, I have been plagued with it all the days of my life! I love salty/sweet combinations in my dessert, just like I love sweet/savory combinations in my dinner entrees.

This recipe is a good balance of sweet and salty, especially with the addition of salted, roasted peanuts crumbled on top! The frosting is a peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Yum! You will definitely need a big glass of milk to wash a piece of this down.

I used a basic chocolate cake recipe, so if you have one that works for you, then use it! If not, keep this one handy!

Chocolate Cake

1 3/4 cup flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/2 cup neutral tasting oil (I normally use grape seed, but you can use canola or vegetable)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup of freshly brewed coffee (you won’t taste it!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 8- or 9-inch baking pans by spraying with baking spray or greasing with shortening, then flouring. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the wet ingredients, then, with the mixer set on low, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. Add the 1 cup of coffee and mix until just combined, scraping to bowl to make sure you got it all. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until cake is done (test with a butter knife or toothpick).

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

8oz softened cream cheese

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1 tablespoons milk

handful of salted peanuts, chopped

In your standing mixer, mix peanut butter and cream cheese on high for about 3-5 minutes. Turn the mixer off {or don’t and see what happens} and add the sugar, one cup at a time. Add the vanilla and milk. Taste and feel the frosting to make sure it’s the consistency of normal cake frosting. If it’s a little dry, add another tablespoon of milk. If it’s a little wet, add another cup of sugar. I sprinkled my cake with a tiny bit of cocoa powder and a handful of salted peanuts.