The Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Recipe

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake is rich and creamy, made with cocoa powder and peanut butter, and topped with an easy-to-make chocolate ganache. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Recipe

If you are in the market for testing out a new cake recipe, boy do I have one for you?

In fact, with all the current sales on cake mixes and batters, I thought it only appropriate to use one of my “boxes”.

However, who really wants to make just a box cake? I don’t!

If you didn’t know already, I am a cake baker. I currently only bake for my family and friends and have been approached to do it professionally, but that is not me.

I just want to do it for FUN. I first started baking when my son celebrated his first birthday. I would say his first cake was a hot mess, but my family would say differently.

Since you can’t just make a box cake, I doctored this cake mix base. I came up with this recipe as a last-minute pull-together cake for my husband’s birthday. It was a big hit.

Do I Need Any Special Ingredients for This Chocolate Cake

Please note that the full listing of ingredients as well as the printable recipe is listed below.

I know the list of ingredients might appear daunting, but I promise the hardest part is waiting for the cake to cool!

This chocolate cake contains fairly standard cake ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry:

Chocolate Cake

• 1 pkg Duncan Hines Devil Food Cake With Pudding Mix
• 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 4 Eggs (beaten)
• 1/2 cup Warm Water
• 2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Peanut Butter Filling

• 1 cup of Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 Stick Unsalted Butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 – 4 tbsp Whole Milk
• 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Buttercream Frosting

• 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 lbs powdered sugar
• 4 – 6 tbsp Milk
• 2 tbsp Meringue Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Crisco Shortening (do not substitute)

Chocolate Ganache Topping

• 3 oz Chocolate Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream

How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

If you are DOWN for some cake,… you’re in the right spot.

Combine ingredients: Mix cake mix, cocoa powder, sour cream, oil, eggs, and water. Once combined, stir in chocolate chips by hand.

Pour into well-greased 2 – 9 inch round cake pans. Bake for roughly 35 minutes or the cake stick check comes out clean.

Let cake cook: Allow cake to completely cool before filling and frosting. If you don’t, you will have a pretty mess on your hands.

Not only is this cake over-the-top delicious, but it’s also quite stunning if I do say so myself. 

I feel like I should probably skip all the words right now and just get down to business. I mean, we are talking about a marriage of the best flavors on the earth. Chocolate and peanut butter. 

The peanut butter filling is my version of what we find in those amazing little peanut butter cups. 

Making The Chocolate Ganache

Let’s talk about the chocolate ganache!

It really takes this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake to the next level. It honestly makes it taste just like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup but in cake form! And this step you do not want to miss.

You don’t need any fancy skills to make a ganache.

The key to making this ganache right is patience.

Do not try to speed things up by heating up the chocolate and heavy cream too fast. You will end up with baked chocolate. Believe me, I have done it.

How To Store Your Cake

Before serving this cake, I recommend storing it in the refrigerator. Then right before serving your cake, allow the cake to come to room temperature for the best flavor and texture.

The Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Recipe

This is the perfect special occasion cake. Now, don’t you agree?

Recipe Originally Published: November 18, 2014

If you made this recipe, we would love to hear all about it. We get so excited when we learn that you have chosen to make one of our recipes featured on Inspiring Savings. Please leave us a comment below.

Other Delicious Dessert Recipes

Carrot Cake Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting

Easy Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake Recipe

Vanilla Cupcakes with Fresh Blueberry Filling

Eating out is easy, and it usually tastes delicious, but it’s expensive. Making this meal at home will save you money. Add this recipe to your weekly meal plan.