My Favorite Reese’s Peanut Butter Cake

Reese’s peanut butter cake, inspired by my love for all things chocolate and peanut butter, is a favorite dessert at my house.

I put this recipe together when my kids were growing up. It became a favorite birthday cake request pretty quickly. The peanut butter cake is just the right amount of sweetness and the chocolate buttercream is rich and creamy. Add some crushed up Reese’s peanut butter cups between the layers and then on top of the cake to get this perfect treat.

There are a few steps to this recipe. This is not one of those “mix it all up in one bowl” situations. But in my opinion, the extra steps and effort are definitely worth it.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 2 egg yolks, beaten well
• 1/2 c buttermilk
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 c water
• 2 heaping Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 c all purpose flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
• Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, chopped

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer or a KitchenAid. Beat until it is thoroughly incorporated and smooth.

Next, separate two eggs. Be sure to save the whites because they are going into the batter at the end. Whisk the egg yolks together. Beat the egg whites together until they form stiff peaks when you lift them up.

Pour the buttermilk into a measuring cup and add the baking soda, stirring well. Then add the water to the buttermilk mixture and just set it aside.

Add the peanut butter, sugar and egg yolks and beat well.

Whisk the flour and baking powder together in another bowl.

Now you are ready to incorporate everything. You have your peanut butter mixture, the buttermilk mixture, the flour mixture and the egg whites. Add about a third of the flour mixture and beat well. Then add about the same amount of the buttermilk mixture and beat well. Do this alternately until all the flour and buttermilk mixture are incorporated into the batter.

Finally, gently fold the egg whites into the batter and you’re ready to bake!

You can make this in a 9×13 pan or 2 8 inch round cake pans. Lightly grease and flour the pans before adding the batter. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Let the cake cool while making the frosting. Here is my chocolate buttercream recipe that I use for this cake. If you are using round cake pans, frost the bottom layer and sprinkle chopped up Reese’s peanut butter cups on top before adding the second layer. I buy the mini peanut butter cups, but you could also chop up the regular sized ones. If you are using a 9×13 pan, just sprinkle the peanut butter cups all over the top of the cake.

Just look at this beauty…

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My Favorite Reese's Peanut Butter Cake

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dessert

By Denise Palma

Prep Time: 20 mins – Cooking Time: 30 mins – Total Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 2 egg yolks, beaten well
• 1/2 c buttermilk
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 c water
• 2 heaping Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 c all purpose flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
• Mini Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped

Instructions

1

Cream butter and sugar together.

2

Separate eggs. Whisk yolks together. Beat whites until they form stiff peaks. Set both aside.

3

Pour buttermilk into a measuring cup. Add baking soda and water to buttermilk and stir well. Set aside.

4

Beat peanut butter, sugar and egg yolks into butter and sugar mixture.

5

Whisk flour and baking powder together in separate bowl.

6

Add a third of the flour mixture, then a third of buttermilk mixture alternately, beating well after each addition.

7

When all the flour and buttermilk mixture are added, gently fold in the egg whites.

8

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Can use 2 8 in round pans or one 9x13.

9

When cooled, frost with chocolate buttercream frosting, adding chopped up Reese's peanut butter cake between layers and/or on top of the cake.