Chocolate Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 24 servings (One 9-by-13-inch cake)
  • Total: 2 hr (includes cooling time)
  • Active: 30 min
This is one of Molly’s favorite cakes to make because it is impossible to mess up and everybody loves chocolate and peanut butter! It’s super moist and stays that way for a long time thanks to the oil and chunky peanut butter.
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Ingredients

Cake:

Vegetable oil nonstick spray

2 cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

1 cup (240 grams) buttermilk

1/2 cup (115 grams) neutral oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup (256 grams) chunky no-stir peanut butter

3/4 cup (180 grams) warm coffee

Ganache Frosting:

2 1/2 cups (400 grams) milk chocolate chips

1 cup (240 g) heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Couple pinches of kosher salt

6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Chopped roasted and salted peanuts, for topping

Halved dark chocolate peanut butter cups, for topping

Directions

  1. Arrange an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
  2. For the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  3. For the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, almond extract and peanut butter until smooth (minus of course, the chunks).
  4. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and then stir in the warm coffee. Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, begin checking for doneness at 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan.
  5. For the frosting: Put the chocolate chips in the bowl of the stand mixer. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat (or in a measuring cup in the microwave in 30 second intervals until it is almost boiling). Pour over the chocolate chips and allow to sit for about 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth, then mix in the vanilla extract and salt. Allow to chill in the refrigerator until the mixture is thick and cool to the touch, 30 to 40 minutes.
  6. When cool, attach the bowl to the mixer with the whisk attachment and whip the ganache until it starts to get light and fluffy. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully combined. Continue whipping until the frosting is light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
  7. Spread the frosting in swoops all over the cooled cake and sprinkle with the chopped up peanuts. Place the halved peanut butter cups in the frosting. Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Pamela Jones

This cake is amazing! My guys absolutely love it! Molly has knocked it outta the park with this recipe…xo

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