Dark chocolate cake with peanut butter cream cheese frosting

I made this delicious cake for a dinner party we had last night. If you like dark chocolate and peanut butter combinations, you are sure to love it!

 

Dark Chocolate Cake

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsps baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans – Line with parchment, then butter and flour the pans (or use “PAM for Baking”).

1. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
2. In another bowl or large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Gently whisk.
3. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine – scrape up from the bottom to make sure all the flour is incorporated.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack to complete cooling.

Recipe adapted from: http://wee-eats.com/2011/06/06/chocolate-cake/

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

I came up with this recipe after pouring over dozens upon dozens of peanut butter frosting recipes.This is the version I ended up with, after some experimentation. :)

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 to 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted (depending on how thick you want the consistency for piping)
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In the bowl of your electric mixer (have I ever mentioned I love my KitchenAid? :) fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and the butter until creamy and smooth. Add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low. Mix in the peanut butter and the vanilla extract. Spread as filling between the cake layers and frost the top and sides of your cake. I had just enough to pipe some rosettes on my cake too.

If you would like to add another chocolate kick to the cake, feel free to make a chocolate ganache and pour it over the top of the cake... :)

Chocolate ganache:

6oz dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Bring the whipping cream to a boil in a little saucepan. Watch it carefully, because it may boil over. Put the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the hot whipping cream over the chopped chocolate. Stir a little until the chocolate melts. Pour over the cake before it sets.

I hope you enjoy it!