Name: Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake - Sweet Easy Recipes for Dessert Lovers
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 cups sugar; 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour; 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup hot water; 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy, your call); 4 cups powdered sugar; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 3-4 tbsp milk or cream; 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate; 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

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Let’s be honest—when peanut butter and chocolate join forces, something magical happens. This peanut butter chocolate layer cake isn’t just dessert, it’s an event. I’m talking about layers of moist chocolate cake, rich peanut butter frosting, and that fudgy ganache that makes your knees wobble. I’ve made this cake for birthdays, weekend cravings, and yes, once at 2 a.m. just because I needed comfort after watching a sad documentary. It’s that kind of cake—the one you keep going back to, fork in hand, promising it’s the last bite (it never is). Whether you’re new to baking or a cake whisperer, this one’s friendly, forgiving, and ridiculously indulgent. You’ll taste why every layer, every crumb, every swipe of frosting feels like a little win. It’s chocolate. It’s peanut butter. It’s easy. What else do we need?

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake Recipe
3) Ingredients for Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake
4) How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake
5) Tips for Making Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake
6) Making Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake
8) Try these Cakes next!
9) Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

This peanut butter chocolate layer cake is rich, indulgent, and surprisingly simple.
Perfect for celebrations or when you’re just craving a sweet easy recipe.
Frosting is made with creamy peanut butter and butter—no fuss, no stress.
Ganache adds a glossy finish that makes it look bakery-worthy without the bakery price tag.

2) Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake Recipe

Let’s talk about what happens when chocolate meets peanut butter. And I mean *really* meets—like full-on faceplant into each other. That’s the vibe of this cake. Every bite says celebration, even if the only thing you’re celebrating is getting through the week.

I started making this cake on a whim years ago when I forgot to pick up dessert for a friend’s birthday dinner. Chocolate and peanut butter were all I had on hand, and let me tell you—it turned into a tradition. A very delicious tradition. This isn’t a cake that whispers. It shows up, loud and layered.

This recipe hits that sweet spot (pun intended) where “sweet easy recipes” actually mean it. No stand mixer? No problem. Just grab a couple bowls, your whisking arm, and you’re already halfway to dessert.

3) Ingredients for Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake

Sugar: This is where the sweetness begins. You need a full two cups to get the right balance in the chocolate layers.

All-purpose flour: It keeps the structure light but sturdy, which matters when you’re stacking layers.

Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened here. It brings the chocolate flavor forward without making things too rich.

Baking soda and baking powder: These two work together to lift the cake so it stays fluffy, not flat.

Salt: It sharpens the flavor. Just a little will cut the sweetness and boost the chocolate taste.

Buttermilk: This adds tang and helps the cake stay soft for days. You can use milk with a splash of vinegar if needed.

Vegetable oil: Oil makes the cake tender and moist (yes, we said it), better than butter ever could here.

Eggs: Room temperature is key. They mix better and help the batter stay smooth.

Vanilla extract: Adds that warm, rich background flavor that makes the chocolate feel deeper.

Hot water: Thins the batter to make it pourable. It also helps bloom the cocoa.

Butter: For the frosting, unsalted works best. It lets you control the saltiness of the final mix.

Peanut butter: Go with creamy unless you’re the type who likes a little crunch. Either way, the flavor shines.

Powdered sugar: It sweetens the frosting without adding grit. Sift it if you want things super smooth.

Vanilla extract (again): Just a splash to round out the frosting.

Milk or cream: Adjusts the frosting’s texture. Start small—you can always add more.

Semi-sweet chocolate: This is your ganache. Chop it fine so it melts evenly.

Heavy whipping cream: It blends with the chocolate to create a glossy, spreadable finish.

4) How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. This helps the cakes come out cleanly—no sticking, no crumbling.

Step 2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. No need to sift unless your cocoa’s clumpy.

Step 3. Add in the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until mostly smooth. Then pour in the hot water and stir gently. Don’t overmix—it’s thin and that’s okay.

Step 4. Divide the batter into the pans. Bake for 22–25 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick comes out clean and the tops bounce back with a light press.

Step 5. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then flip them onto wire racks. Cool completely before frosting or the frosting will melt and slide off like it’s late for dinner.

Step 6. For the frosting, beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar in stages so it doesn’t puff everywhere. Then vanilla and just enough milk to make it spreadable.

Step 7. Stack the cakes, spreading frosting between layers and over the top and sides. Don’t worry about perfection—rustic is charming.

Step 8. Make the ganache by heating the cream until steaming. Pour it over the chopped chocolate, wait two minutes, and then stir until glossy. Cool it just enough to spread or drizzle, your call.

Step 9. Chill the cake for 20 minutes to let the ganache set. Then slice. Or eat it straight from the fridge, I won’t judge.

5) Tips for Making Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake

Keep ingredients at room temperature before you begin. This helps them blend more easily, which keeps your batter smooth and even. Cold eggs are the enemy of light cakes.

Use a serrated knife to level the cake layers if they bake with a dome. It makes stacking easier, and more stable. You can snack on the scraps while you frost.

If you want clean slices, dip your knife in hot water, wipe it dry, then slice. Repeat between cuts. It keeps the layers sharp and the frosting neat.

6) Making Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake Ahead of Time

This cake holds up well. You can bake the layers a day or two early. Wrap them tightly in plastic and store at room temperature or chill them if you prefer firmer cakes.

The peanut butter frosting can sit in the fridge overnight. Just bring it back to room temperature before using it or it’ll be hard to spread.

<p"Ganache also stores well. Keep it in an airtight container and warm gently before using. If it’s too thick, stir in a splash of cream until it loosens up.

7) Storing Leftover Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake

Leftovers go in the fridge. Keep them in an airtight container or wrapped in foil to keep the cake from drying out.

It’ll last about five days, though good luck making it that long. Most of ours disappears within 48 hours.

If you’re freezing, wrap slices individually and freeze up to three months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight or zap gently in the microwave to soften.

8) Try these Cakes next!

9) Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake