This dev’lish confection proves that necessity is truly the mother of invention. I was helping a young friend make a cake for Mother’s Day and being short on vanilla and chocolate, I turned to peanut butter for redemption. Riddled with mini peanut butter cups, both the cake and frosting were rich, decadent and over the top ridiculous. This cake went from ‘Mother’s Day’ to ‘M.I.L.F’ in seconds!

Peanut Butter Devil’s Food Cake

3 sticks (12 oz) unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

3 cups all purpose flour

3 tspn baking powder

1 tspn salt

3/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa

1 tspn baking soda

1 cup boiling water

4 eggs

2 tblspn peanut butter

3/4 cup light sour cream

1 cup mini peanut butter cups

Putting it together:

  • Pre-heat oven to 350f / 175c.
  • Grease and line 2 x 9″ pans.
  • In a standing mixer, cream butter and sugar.
  • Mix flour, salt and baking powder.
  • Whisk cocoa, boiling water and, when combined, add baking soda.
  • Add eggs, 1 at a time, to butter and sugar batter.
  • Reduce mixer speed and pour cocoa liquid into the batter. When combined, add peanut butter.
  • Add flour and sour cream in batches and mix on a low speed until combined.
  • Reduce to lowest speed and add mini peanut butter cups,  mix until combined into the batter.
  • Divide batter evenly between pans and bake 40-50 minutes. Cakes are done when the top feels firm or when a skewer inserted into the top of the cake comes out clean.
  • Cool cakes 2-3 minutes in pan and then invert onto a wire rack to cool before frosting.

‘Big Hair’ peanut butter and chocolate frosting:

1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup semi sweet dark chocolate chips

1 cup mini peanut butter cups

2 tblspn golden syrup

1/2 cup sour cream

Putting it together:

  • Cream butter and sugar in a standing mixer and beat until fluffy.
  • Melt chocolate and mini peanut butter cups (a bowl over a saucepan – low heat- is best method).
  • Add syrup and sour cream to creamed butter.
  • Pour melted chocolate into the batter and beat at a medium speed for about 1 minute.
  • Chill the frosting to allow it to set slightly before decorating the cake.
  • Use 1/3 of the frosting to sandwich the layers, spread the remainder over the top of the cake.
  • Decorate with additional peanut putter cups.

What I have learned:

Conventional wisdom tells you to use vegetable oil or melted butter when making a Devil’s Food Cake. The endless pursuit of deep, dark cake with a moist, tender crumb can be elusive. I find that oil can make the cake greasy instead of moist. This recipe produced a cake with a nice crust, able to withstand the weight of the layers and all that frosting. It held its shape when sliced, but was velvety and rich to the last bite!