This peanut butter chocolate cake has earned its spot as a forever favorite in my kitchen. As a pastry chef, I have made this cake more times than I can count, each time with consistent, reliable, and crowd pleasing results. It is not just good, it is trust worthy good. The texture is rich, the flavor is balanced, and the frosting, utterly unforgettable.
This deep chocolate cake with silky peanut butter frosting is the kind of recipe that comes from years of experience and countless rounds of testing. I don’t share anything that hasn’t earned a permanent spot in my own kitchen. The rich, moist chocolate layers pair perfectly with the smooth, creamy peanut butter frosting, a classic combination that I’ve refined to perfection. Trust matters here just as much as flavor, and I’m sharing this recipe because I know it works, every single time!
Why You'll Love This
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Recipe
- Rich, bold flavor, deep chocolate cake meets creamy peanut butter frosting in every bite.
- Simple to make, just one layer. No stacking or fancy tools required.
- Perfect for parties, it slices cleanly and looks just as good as it tastes.
- Foolproof, tested dozens of times and turns out perfect every time!
- A crowd favorite, both kids and adults go back for seconds.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love ThisChocolate Peanut Butter Cake Recipe
- Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Baking Tips
- Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting Ingredients
- How to Make Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- Pro Tips for Homemade Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Variations for Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Icing
- How to Store the Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- FAQs for the Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- More Sweet Treats
- 📖 Recipe
Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Baking Tips
- Using a kitchen scale is a total game changer for baking. It makes measuring ingredients super precise, so your recipe comes out perfect every single time. Plus, fewer measuring cups means less cleanup, and who doesn’t love that? Invest in one, and you’ll wonder how you ever baked without it!
- I absolutely love baking with fine kosher salt, it gives the perfect balance of flavor. Table salt, on the other hand, can be a bit too harsh, so if you're using it, be sure to cut the amount in half to avoid over salting your treats.
- Always check your oven temperature! Ovens can be sneaky, sometimes running hotter or cooler than what the dial says, and that can really affect how your baked goods turn out. For the most consistent results, I recommend using an oven thermometer to make sure your temps are spot on every time
Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- Natural Cocoa Powder, I use unsweetened natural cocoa. Natural cocoa is slightly acidic, which helps activate baking soda for lift and keeps crumb tender.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder, what they do and why we use both: lets us tune structure. Soda handles acid neutralization and initial lift, powder provides backup rise in the oven so the cake does not flatten. Too much soda without enough acid can cause off flavors and coarse texture, so the balanced combo matters for consistent results.
- Hot Coffee, a must. Hot liquid blooms the cocoa, dissolving flavor compounds and deepening chocolate notes. If you prefer not to use brewed coffee, dissolve espresso powder in hot water.
- Oil and Sour Cream, oil keeps the cake soft even when chilled, while full fat sour cream adds moisture, fat, and milk solids that tenderize the crumb and help it stay moist for days.
For the Peanut Butter Frosting:
- Peanut Butter, use the creamy spreadable kind, not natural separated peanut butter. I like Skippy for reliable texture and flavor.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances everything out and makes the flavors pop!
- Powdered Sugar, sweetens and sets the structure of the frosting.
- Heavy cream is essential for creating a light, fluffy frosting because it whips up beautifully, adding air and volume. When combined with peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar, it transforms the frosting into a smooth, airy, and luscious finish that’s perfectly balanced and not overly dense.
See recipe card below for quantities.
How to Make Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Bake the Chocolate Cake
Make the Peanut Butter Frosting
Assemble and Decorate
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Combine the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, vanilla, and milk until combined.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
- Finally, slowly hot coffee to the batter, mixing until fully incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared 9x13-inch pan, spreading it evenly.
- In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Mix on low speed until the powdered sugar is mostly incorporated, then increase to high speed and beat for 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Hint: Don't skip the coffee or instant espresso in the cake, it makes a huge difference in the chocolate flavor!
Pro Tips for Homemade Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Don’t open the oven door while baking: Keep the oven closed until the last few minutes. Sudden temperature changes can cause the cake to sink or bake unevenly.
- Avoid overmixing the batter: Mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense or rubbery cake instead of that soft, tender crumb you want.
- Use hot coffee in the batter: Hot coffee deepens the chocolate flavor and helps bloom the cocoa powder, giving the cake a richer texture. Don’t worry, your cake won’t taste like coffee!
- Whip that peanut butter frosting: Beat the frosting until it’s light and fluffy. This gives it a creamy, cloud like texture that pairs perfectly with the rich cake.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting: Frosting too soon can cause the frosting to melt and slide. Be patient, it’s worth it.
- Use parchment paper for easy removal: Line your cake pans to prevent sticking and ensure clean layers every time.
Variations for Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Icing
- Chopped Roasted Peanuts scattered over the top for crunch.
- Mini Chocolate Chips pressed into the frosting or sprinkled around the edge.
- Salted Caramel Drizzle over chilled frosting for a sweet salty finish.
- Make it a Layer Cake, bake the batter in two 8 inch round pans, level if needed, fill and frost between layers, then finish the top and sides.
How to Store the Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Keep it covered at room temperature for up to 1 day. For longer storage, refrigerate it, covered, for up to 3 days. The frosting firms in the fridge, so let the cake sit at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving for best texture. To freeze, wrap the unfrosted cake layers or the fully frosted cake tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before slicing.
FAQs for the Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Why does my coffee/ water need to be hot?
Hot water is a must in chocolate cake because it blooms the cocoa powder, deepening the chocolate flavor while dissolving any clumps for a smooth, lump free batter. Plus, the heat activates the baking soda, giving the cake a better rise and lighter texture.
Can I make this recipe into cupcakes?
I don't recommend it, if you want to make chocolate cupcakes, check out this cupcake recipe, the oven temperature and ratios are a bit different.
More Sweet Treats
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Homemade Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
This peanut butter chocolate cake has earned its spot as a forever favorite in my kitchen. As a pastry chef, I have made this cake more times than I can count, each time with consistent, reliable, and crowd pleasing results. It is not just good, it is trust worthy good. The texture is rich, the flavor is balanced, and the frosting, utterly unforgettable.
Equipment
- 9X13 metal baking pan
- Handheld or stand mixer
- Measuring cups or kitchen scale
- Measuring Spoons
- Bowls and spatula
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- *You can easily halve this recipe to bake it in an 8x8 inch square pan. If you do, reduce the baking time to about 25 minutes.
- 2 cups (422 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (254 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (92 grams) natural cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature is best
- ½ cup (118 grams) vegetable oil
- ½ cup (126 grams) whole milk room temperature is best
- ½ cup (122 grams) sour cream full fat, room temperature is best
- 1 cup hot coffee can also use 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder mixed with 1 cup hot water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 9 tablespoons (128 grams) salted butter room temperature
- 1 and ½ cups (368 grams) peanut butter smooth spreadable kind(like Skippy) do not use natural
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (81 grams) heavy cream cold (do not use milk, see notes)
- 1 and ¾ cups (225 grams) powdered sugar
- big pinch of salt
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing some overhang for easy removal later.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups (422 grams) of granulated sugar, 2 cups (254 grams) of all-purpose flour, 1 cup (92 grams) of natural cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, ½ cup (126 grams) of whole milk, ½ cup (118 grams) of vegetable oil, and ½ cup (122 grams) of sour cream. Mix until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
- Finally, slowly add 1 cup (186 grams) of hot coffee to the batter, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9x13-inch pan, spreading it evenly.
- Position it on the center rack of the oven to ensure even baking, avoiding placement too close to the top or bottom. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and peanut butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt.
- Mix on low speed until the powdered sugar is mostly incorporated, then increase to high speed and beat for 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- If the frosting is too thick, add 1-2 teaspoons of heavy cream at a time until desired consistency. If it’s too soft, mix in a little extra powdered sugar.
- Spread evenly over the cooled down cake.
Notes
*Heavy cream is essential for creating a light, fluffy frosting because it whips up beautifully, adding air and volume. When combined with peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar, it transforms the frosting into a smooth, airy, and luscious finish that’s perfectly balanced and not overly dense, milk will not produce the same results.
Storage:
Keep it covered at room temperature for up to 1 day. For longer storage, refrigerate it, covered, for up to 3 days. The frosting firms in the fridge, so let the cake sit at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving for best texture. To freeze, wrap the unfrosted cake layers or the fully frosted cake tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before slicing.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and tag @stir.taste.smile on social.
Steph says
The frosting almost didn’t make it onto the cake, this will be made for every birthday from now on!!
Amanda Valsamis says
I love hearing that!! Thank you for the kind review!!