Peanut Butter Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing Recipe
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This delicious Peanut Butter Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing Recipe is the perfect dessert for serving a crowd, and it is so very easy to make.
Peanut Butter Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing Recipe
This Peanut Butter Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing Recipe may look a little unassuming, but don’t let it fool you. It’s one amazing decadent dessert! Crazy good is what it is. Randy said it was like crack cake (Mom, that means he couldn’t stop eating it. We don’t do drugs). And he has a pretty picky palate to please when it comes to desserts. Crack cake. Yep. It’s kinda like that.
Other than the incredible flavors of this cake, with the always pleasing combinations of peanut butter and dark chocolate, this sheet cake recipe couldn’t be easier. No mixers (except for a spoon plus your hands) are needed. This cake and frosting can be made and ready to devour in under an hour. And it will be devoured so make sure you have some other people around to eat it or you won’t be able to control yourself. I’m just guessing that this may happen … just guessing. It is the perfect dessert to serve for a crowd. No fuss. Serve from the pan. Easy peasy. You’ll have a happy crowd, I promise.
A side note, another fabulous peanut butter and chocolate recipe you will truly enjoy is this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars Recipe.
Peanut Butter Sheet Cake recipe notes:
- If you are out of buttermilk, substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of milk or heavy cream, whisk together and allow it to sit for about 5-10 to thicken and curdle.
- This cake is made using an 18×13” jelly-roll pan. They are easy to find at big box stores in sets of 2 or 4. I use them for everything. Really. They are used all the time.
- This Dark Chocolate Frosting recipe includes espresso powder. It really deepens and intensifies the chocolate flavor in a wonderful way. Coffee granules can be used as well but if you can find espresso powder, buy some. It’s a great addition to chocolate cakes, cookies, pancakes, and muffins too.
Peanut Butter Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing Recipe
An incredibly easy and decadent peanut butter sheet cake that is great for serving a crowd, topped with an easy icing that is made stovetop in just a few minutes. Perfect for topping sheet cakes!
Ingredients
For the Peanut Butter Cake:
- 6 ounces butter, salted (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups brown sugar, packed
For the Dark Chocolate Icing:
- 1 1/2 stick butter
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder (substitute regular cocoa powder if needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder or coffee granules
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- For the Peanut Butter Cake: Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Butter and flour (or coat with baking spray) a 18x13-inch jelly-roll pan/baking sheet.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in peanut butter until smooth. Gradually stream in boiling water whisking until combined. Remove from heat and let sit for at least 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Whisk in sugar to combine.
- Slowly stream in warm butter/peanut butter mixture into the egg/buttermilk mixture, whisk to combine.
- Gradually stir in flour mixture and whisk to combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in a 350-degree F oven for 20-25 minutes or until done.
- For the Dark Chocolate Icing: Add butter, milk, cocoa powder and espresso/coffee powder to a medium saucepan over low heat, allow butter to totally melt, whisk occasionally until combined and smooth. Remove from heat, gradually add in powdered sugar and vanilla, whisking until smooth. Pour warm frosting over cake, spread evenly to cover cake until smooth. Cut and serve.
Amy, I’m in love with this cake. And that icing pour shot should win an award!
I’ve already had cake for breakfast today and still can’t resist being drawn in by this. Dark chocolate and peanut butter are my two weaknesses. Pinning for later!
Used hazelnut butter instead of peanut butter.
Also used a hazelnut coffee.
Very good, moist and easy to make
It doesn’t get any better than PB and dark chocolate!
Amazing photos, Amy! This cake looks positively decadent! 🙂
oh no…you’ve done it now! I’ve been meaning to make a peanut butter sheet cake and yours just surpassed all other recipes. pinned!
This is gorgeous! LOVE the crackly top on this frosting!
I’m pretty sure that pan of cake would disappear in a hurry after I took one bite! I love that dark chocolate glaze over the thin layer of cake…YUM!!!
Oh my GOD this cake is incredible. I am just drooling here over the images.. wish I had some to devour right now, I cant get enough of peanut butter and chocolate together. Pinned!
I am making this on Wednesday night for a little par-tee!!!
I wish I lived close enough to crash your par-tee! I bet your parties are delicious. Have fun!
Do you pour the warm icing over the hot cake? Or cooled cake? This is going on the Valentines Brunch menu!!
I have done it both ways and it is delicious either way. When the cake is warm it tends to soak up more of the icing creating an ooey gooey treat.
Dear me. I just died and found chocolate peanut butter heaven. (Drooling)
🙂
You should have seen Jac’s face when I showed him the pictures of this cake! Looks like I will be making this one soon! 😉
I hope y’all enjoy it, Susie! 🙂
Aww my, where have you been my entire life!! 😄 I just found your site and I’m LOVIN IT!!
So nice to meet you, Cindy!
I would like to make this cake, but 18 x 13 is too big for me. I would like to do a 9 x 13. How would I change the amounts of ingredients?
Thank you.