Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

So fancy you almost don't want to eat it... almost

Posted by Connie Z.

About

Deeply chocolatey layers of cake get hugged by peanut butter swiss meringue and coated in chocolate ganache. Fancy chocolate bubble shards and Reese candy decorate the top to finish.

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You Will Need (27 things)

  • Smooth Peanut Butter

  • Reese Peanut Butter Ganache

  • 9 oz Semisweet Chocolate
  • 2 oz White Chocolate
  • ½ cup Heavy Cream
  • 1 cup Reese Peanut Butter
  • ¼ cup Peanut Butter

  • Dark Chocolate Cake Layers

  • 1 ¾ cup all purpose Flour
  • 1 ½ cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1 tbsp Instant Coffee
  • 1 ½ cup Boiling Water
  • ¾ full fat Sour Cream
  • 1 tbsp pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 ½ cup Unsalted Butter
  • 2 ½ cup Sugar
  • 3 large Eggs
  • 1 ¼ tsp Baking Soda
  • ¾ tsp Salt

  • Peanut Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream

  • 5 large Egg White
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 2 cup Unsalted Butter
  • ½ cup Peanut Butter

  • Dark Chocolate Ganache Glaze

  • 4 oz Dark Chocolate
  • ⅓ cup Heavy Cream

Steps (4 steps, 480 minutes)

  1. 1

    Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache
    *Prep one day before assembling*
    Chop both types of chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl
    Heat cream until just simmering and pour it immediately over the chocolate
    Let sit for 1-2 mins, then stir gently with a fork until the chocolate and cream are smoothly blended together
    Stir in Reese spread and peanut butter until smooth, mixture will be thick
    Cover and refrigerate overnight

  2. 2

    Dark Chocolate Cake Layers
    *Prep one day before assembling*
    Preheat the oven to 350˚ F, spray 3 8-inch round cake pans with oil
    In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, espresso powder, and boiling water
    Whisk until smooth; set aside to cool slightly
    Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla and set aside
    In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth
    Gradually blend in the sugar and whip on medium-high speed until light and fluffy
    Blend in the eggs one at a time
    In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; whisk to blend
    Add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the sour cream mixture, beating each addition just until incorporated.
    Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (I like to use ice cream scoops)
    Bake the cake layers for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
    Allow cake to completely, then wrap each cake in two layers of saran wrap and keep on counter (NOT FRIDGE)

  3. 3

    Peanut Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream
    Keep a pot of boiling water on the stovetop
    Whisk egg whites, sugar and salt in a bowl that you can fit on top of the pot (not IN the pot)
    Place bowl on top of pot over the boiling water and whisk vigorously until sugar is melted
    Transfer egg white mixture into a CLEAN AND OIL FREE mixing bowl
    Whip on low speed until slighty cooled, then increase speed and whip until stiff peaks form
    Gradually add in chunks of butter and whip until butter is incorporated and mixture is creamy in appearance
    Mix in peanut butter and scrape down the bowl to make sure that all peanut butter is incorporated

  4. 4

    Dark Chocolate Ganache Glaze
    Chop chocolate into pieces and place in a bowl
    Heat cream until just simmering then pour over chocolate
    Let sit for 1-2 mins, then stir gently with a fork until the chocolate and cream are smoothly blended together