When I was a child, the entire extended family would gather at my Grandmother’s for Christmas dinner. Our family was large and the rooms would be packed. Cousins, aunts, and uncles spilled over from the dining room into the living room, kitchen, and -depending on the weather-the front and back porch. Before the celebrations could begin we’d walk to the woods and chop a pine tree, dragging it slowly back to the house. My grandmother would pull out her fragile antique ornaments and the younger cousins would fight over who got to decorate the tree.
Enticing aromas drifted from the kitchen as the aunts gathered, bringing their favorite dishes. The dining room table was weighed down by casseroles, salads, sides, and of course, the centerpiece; a glazed ham studded with cloves. But my favorite was the dessert table. Two buffets were jammed with cakes, pies, cookies, and the oh-so-forbidden to children bourbon balls. I would take a small portion of food, saving as much room as possible for dessert. My favorite was the Peanut Butter Cake, filled with a rich chocolate filling and topped with smooth peanut butter icing. I always grabbed a piece before anyone else reached the dessert table because it disappeared so quickly. It’s recipe is a little time consuming, but it is worth the time and calories because it tastes a-maz-ing!
If you have older children, it’s a fun dessert to make as a family. One person can make the cake, one can make the ganache and one can make the peanut butter filling.
To make this dessert easier to prepare, be sure to get all of the ingredients together before you begin. While the cake is baking, prepare the ganache so it can cool as the cake cools. Use a spatula to smooth the peanut butter icing onto the cake and gently press the chocolate curls into the sides.
- For Cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, room temperature
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 eggs, separated, room temperature
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- For chocolate ganache filling:
- 9 ounce dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- For Peanut Butter Icing:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons milk, add more as needed
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- For Chocolate Curls:
- 3 ounces milk chocolate
- For Cake
- Cream butter then gradually add sugar, beating well . Add eggs, beating well after each addition: this mix should be fluffy yellow. In another bowl, combine the flour and baking powder: The add mix to the creamed mixture ( above) alternating with milk, beginning and ending with the flour mix. Mix well. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into 2 greased/floured 9″ pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center come out clean. Allow to cool completely and remove cake from pans.
- For Ganache:
- Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
- For Frosting:
- Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.
- For Chocolate Curls:
- Use a carrot shredder and lightly scrap chocolate for curls.
What is your must have dessert for the holidays?
For more Thanksgiving and fall recipes, visit a few of my favorite bloggers:
- Coconut Cream Pie Recipe by A Mom’s Take
- Pumpkin Lebkuchen Donuts by 2Boys+1Girl=OneCrazyMom
- Heaven’s Delight Pineapple Marshmallow Thanksgiving Dessert Recipe by Pretty Opinionated
- Delicious Chocolate Genoise Recipe by Our FamilyWorld
- Easy Thanksgiving Centerpiece by Upstate Ramblings
- Family Gratitude Journal by Day by Day in Our World
- How to Make Pumpkin Gnocchi by Jen Around the World
- Fun Turkey Cupcake Idea by Sweet Party Palace
- Hearty Chicken and Vegetable Soup by Sweet Lil You
- Soft Baked White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies by Savvy Saving Couple
- Mini Fall Leaf Decorated Cookies by How Was Your Day?
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I have never made a cake from scratch but I think that I can handle this recipe. My family would enjoy a Peanut Butter Cake.
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Yummy. This looks and sounds amazing! Thank you for the tasty share.
We love peanutbutter and this looks so great. The dessert I always make is a Lady Baltimore Cake
Oh my goodness, that looks so delicious! I am definitely making this soon! YUM!
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This cake looks absolutely amazing! I’m so impatient I’d probably rush it and ruin it.
I can’t eat this because of my nut allergy but I can sure make it for the kids. They would LOVE this!
This looks soo yummy! My husband would love this. He loves all things peanut butter.
Wowie this looks amazing! I will have to try my hand at this – it will be a huge hit in my family! Looks so good.
That’s something I love about the holidays, too! This cake looks amazing!
I looooooooove peanut butter desserts. This looks delicious!
Peanut butter cup is my absolutely fave candy in the whole world. Now I can make a cake dedicated to my love? YUM!
For all the peanut butter lovers out there – this takes the cake!!! Looks delicious!! My son would love it and my husband would probably eat the whole thing.
I want to lick my screen. This looks so scrumptious.
Oh does this sound and look amazing! I love anything with peanut butter… it is my weakness for sure. I also liked that this is from scratch and not a box mix… thank you.
This looks so good! Im a big peanut butter fan.
I’ve never made my own ganache mostly because it seemed really complicated. This recipe makes it sound so easy. Plus, our family loves Peanut Butter sooooo…we’ll definitely be trying it!
I read the title and saw Peanut Butter and got excited! I looove Peanut Butter .. I imagine this would be quite sweet .. but I don’t mind since I love Peanut Butter so much
I just finished some Chobani flips peanut butter greek yogurt with chocolate chips. It has nothing on this cake. Now I want cake. LOL
I don’t think I’ve ever had a peanut butter cake. It looks good though, and so do those chocolate curls.
You totally had me at chocolate and peanut butter! They are one of my all-time favorite sweets flavor combos!
We love peanut butter I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Oh my! I just adore anything chocolate and peanut butter, but I’ve never had the combination in cake form before. I’m going to make myself one & pretend it’s my birthday.
Drooling here. The finished picture looks like something out of a professional magazine.
My favorite Desert for the holidays is Sweet Potatoe Pie. The recipe was passed down from my grandmother.
I have had peanut butter pie before but never peanut butter cake! I love the look and outside treatment of the cake. It sounds delicious and I love your photos!
Girrrrl, you had me at peanut butter! I may have to make this one for my hubby’s bday this year. He’d love it!
You did a nice job! My mom’s favorite food in the world is birthday cake. I personally don’t like cake much, UNLESS it’s chocolate and peanut butter.
I love peanut butter in sweet treats. This cake sounds amazing.
My sister has been making cakes weekly and I am going to throw this recipe at her. Peanut butter plus chocolate is my favorite.
This cake is most definitely the true way to my heart. There are few things on earth I love more than a chocolate and peanut butter combination.
the family would love this. They love everything peanut butter
Gosh I just sat for 10 minutes just looking at the pic of that cake. That is spectacular.
Now this sounds delicious. The chocolate curls look so pretty on the outside like that. I want a slice!
You had me at peanut butter!! This looks awesome… do you deliver? 😉
My hubby sees this and I am so screwed!
Two of his flavours in one cake..he’s going to want one every week!
I am such a peanut butter lover! This cake is right up my alley!! It looks gorgeous. You are so inspiring with your food 🙂 I miss you!!!
I miss you too! Hopefully we will be on another trip together soon!
Omg! I am going to surprise my hubby with this over the weekend! Thank you so much!
I know of some peanut butter lovers! I’ll have to try this out.
A peanut butter cake recipe? Such a surprise! HAHA!
While you know I don’t like peanut butter, my family does. And, a peanut butter cake at the holidays might just buy me some brownie points. 🙂
I am still sure Peanut Butter trumps Key Lime anytime, but I will let you think you are right. 🙂 #teampeanutbutter
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Oooh that looks scrummy! I wish I could eat peanuts, I’d be all over that cake!
OMG,yes! Peanut butter cups are my favorite! This cake is so epic. I can’t wait to make this.
Hubby and son would love to have this for dessert. So yummy and looks amazing.
Peanut butter is one of my favorites! I can’t wait to try this.
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My husband would go crazy for this. He loves peanut butter!
My husband and I both LOVE peanut butter. We would devour this in one sitting!
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