Peanut Butter Cake

This scrumptious Peanut Butter Cake Recipe is a moist, tender sheet cake topped with an easy creamy six-ingredient peanut butter frosting. The end result is pure peanut butter nirvana with exceptional peanut butter flavor. It stays fresh for days making it the perfect cake for potlucks and family reunions.

With the exception of my son, my family just loves peanut butter.  I mean, like we adore it.  Peanut Butter Banana Bread, Peanut Butter Fudge, Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies, and this recipe are just a few of our favorites.

How to make Peanut Butter Cake

Start by whisking together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Then, combine the water and butter in a saucepan.  Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, cooking just until the butter is melted.  Now remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter. Let it cool for several minutes. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to roughly combine.  Now add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla stirring to combine.  Pour the batter into a greased and floured jelly roll cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Once the cake is fully cooled, use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or hand-electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter and peanut butter together until smooth and creamy. Then add the powdered sugar in four increments alternating with a little bit of milk.  Now beat in the vanilla and salt.  Finally, spread the frosting on the fully-cooled cake using an offset spatula.

Peanut Butter Cake recipe tips

• You can also bake this cake in a 9×13 inch pan, but baking time will increase to about 35-40 minutes. Or bake in a half-sheet pan, but baking time will decrease by a few minutes, 
• Let the butter, peanut butter, and water mixture cool for at least 10 minutes before proceeding with the rest of the cake so your eggs do not start cooking in the hot mixture.
• For the best texture in the cake and frosting, use the old-fashioned peanut butter that does not separate.
• Do not overbake the cake.  It is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• With the amount of milk in this frosting, it is best to refrigerate the frosted cake.  Cover it well and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• This cake is also delicious with a chocolate ganache glaze or chocolate buttercream. 
• When baked in a jelly roll pan, this cake feeds about 20. So, it is the perfect dessert for potlucks and family reunions.
• Try adding mini chocolate chips to the cake batter or add 2 tablespoons of good quality unsweetened cocoa powder to the frosting.

How to freeze frosted sheet cakes

Sometimes you just have to bake some of your goodies ahead of time.  Perhaps you are throwing a big shindig, and you just can’t do it all at the last minute.  This cake is best flash-frozen so that you don’t crush all the goodness of the icing when wrapping it.  To flash freeze, place the fully frosted cake (pan and all) carefully in the freezer.  It will take about 4-5 hours to freeze.  Once frozen, double wrap in plastic wrap with a layer of aluminum foil over the wrap.  Freeze for up to 3 months.  When ready to thaw, place in the refrigerator for about 24 hours.  Carefully remove the wrap without pressing down on the top of the cake.  Remember not to stack anything on top of it in the refrigerator.

Other cakes you will love!

Pineapple Cake

Cherry Cheesecake

Chocolate Pound Caje

Crumb Cake

Icebox Cake

Earthquake Cake

Peanut Butter Cake

A delicious, moist, and easy Peanut Butter Cake with a luxuriously creamy peanut butter frosting.  This is the ultimate peanut butter lover dessert and a must-make.

5 from 58 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 20 serving

Calories: 384kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 large eggs room termperature
• 3/4 cup buttermilk room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Frosting

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. 
• Combine water and butter in a large saucepan and heat until the butter melts.  Make sure the saucepan is large enough to mix a cake in. Whisk in the peanut butter until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes stirring several times. 
• Stir the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture just enough to get it started.  Add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.  Stir just enough to combine.  Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove the cake to a wire rack and fully cool before preparing the frosting.
• Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and peanut butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments alternating with 1 tablespoon of milk while continuing to beat on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl and beater as needed. Beat in the vanilla and salt.  Continue beating for about 3-4 minutes or until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
• Frost the fully cooled cake.

Notes

• You can also bake this cake in a 9x13 inch pan, but baking time will increase to about 35-40 minutes. Or bake in a half-sheet pan, but baking time will decrease by a few minutes, 
• Let the butter, peanut butter, and water mixture cool for at least 10 minutes before proceeding with the rest of the cake so your eggs do not start cooking in the hot mixture.
• For the best texture in the cake and frosting, use the old-fashioned peanut butter that does not separate.
• Do not overbake the cake.  It is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• With the amount of milk in this frosting, it is best to refrigerate the frosted cake.  Cover it well and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• When baked in a jelly roll pan, this cake feeds about 20. So, it is the perfect dessert for potlucks and family reunions.
• Try adding mini chocolate chips to the cake batter or add 2 tablespoons of good quality unsweetened cocoa powder to the frosting.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 428IU | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 0.5mg

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