Moist Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake
This Moist Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake is the dream dessert for chocolate and peanut butter lovers. It features deeply chocolatey black cocoa layers and a luscious, salty-sweet peanut butter buttercream that makes each bite unforgettable. Perfect for birthdays, special occasions, or weekend baking therapy!
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 560kcal
Ingredients
For Cake Layers
- 2 cups cake flour sifted
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup black cocoa powder sifted, or dark/Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot brewed coffee
For Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter no-stir recommended
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 to 3 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust the pans lightly with cocoa powder and tap out the excess.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix gently with a rubber spatula until mostly combined. Then slowly stir in the hot coffee. The batter will be thin. this is normal.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.
- In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat the butter and peanut butter on medium speed until creamy and fully combined, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer to low and slowly add the powdered sugar, about ⅓ cup at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Add 2 tablespoons of buttermilk (or milk) and mix on low speed. Add an extra tablespoon if needed for a soft, spreadable texture. Beat on high for 30 seconds until light and fluffy.
Notes
- Use room-temperature ingredients for the batter and frosting. Cold eggs and butter don’t mix well and can mess with the texture.
- Don’t skip the coffee. Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, it doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee—it just makes the chocolate taste deeper and richer.
- Trim your cake layers. A quick level with a serrated knife makes stacking so much easier and helps your final cake look clean and professional.
- Crumb coat first. That thin first layer of frosting is a game-changer. It catches all the loose crumbs so your final layer goes on super smooth.
- Chill the cake before final frosting. This gives everything a chance to firm up a bit and makes decorating way easier.
- At room temp: Leave it covered on the counter for a day or two if your kitchen isn’t too warm.
- In the fridge: Wrap it well or store in a cake container, and it’ll keep for about 4–5 days. Just let it sit out for 20–30 minutes before serving so the frosting softens up again.
- Freezing: You can freeze the frosted or unfrosted cake. Wrap the layers tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then pop them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temp before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 280mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 52g