Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

A rainy day calls for chocolate cake, don't you think?

Utah skies presented us with a few perfect rainy, loudy, cloudy days. The thunder was the kind that pounds your ears and the lightening was electric. And all of this scared the little pants off my children. It was excellent.

While the rain doused my newly cleaned car, I felt it appropriate to bake something. Something chocolate with frosting. And this cake had been bugging me for weeks. No time better than the present.

So into the pans went my favorite, fail-proof cake batter, Auntie Shar's. Out came moist, light chocolate cake. It was then layered with peanut butter frosting that was plenty peanutty and sweet.

I have said it before and I will say it again,
peanut butter and chocolate are a celestial marriage.

This cake is just that. A little something sweet and comforting for a rainy day.



For the cake:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Set oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 9 inch round cake pans with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Whisk to combine and set aside. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar and oil and beat with a hand mixer. Alternating with boiling water, add flour mixture in three additions. Stir in vanilla.

Divide cake batter into the three prepared pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and spread frosting on the cakes.

For the frosting:
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
6 cups powdered sugar
3 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 to 2/3 cup milk

In a medium bowl, add the peanut butter and powdered sugar. Using a hand mixer, mix until well combined. Add vanilla and add milk until desired consistency is achieved. Beat until smooth.

Line a cake plate with strips of waxed paper or parchment paper. Set one 9 inch cake on top, being sure all plate surfaces are covered by paper. Spoon 1/4 of the frosting onto the cake and spread evenly with an off-set spatula or a butter knife. Top with other 9 inch cake and repeat. Spoon remaining frosting on top and spread, carefully spreading down and around the sides of the cakes. Gently remove paper from around the cake.

Yields 1 9 inch, about 8 servings.


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