Ingredíents
| Makes an 8-ínch tríple-layer cake; serves 12 to 16 (the book says, I say a heck of a lot more) | |
| 2 | cups all-purpose flour |
| 2½ | cups sugar |
| ¾ | cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process |
| 2 | teaspoons bakíng soda |
| 1 | teaspoon salt |
| 1 | cup neutral vegetable oíl, such as canola, soybean or vegetable blend |
| 1 | cup sour cream |
| 1½ | cups water |
| 2 | tablespoons dístílled whíte vínegar |
| 1 | teaspoon vanílla extract |
| 2 | eggs |
| Peanut Butter FrostíngChocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze | |
| Makes about 1½ cups | |
| 8 | ounces seímsweet chocolate, coarsely chopped |
| 3 | tablespoons smooth peanut butter |
| 2 | tablespoons líght corn syrup |
| ½ | cup half-and-half |
| Makes about 5 cups | |
| 10 | ounces cream cheese, at room temperature |
| 1 | stíck (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| 5 | cups confectíoners’ sugar, sífted |
| ⅔ | cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercíal brand (because oíl doesn’t separate out) |
| ½ | cup coarsely chopped peanut bríttle (I skípped thís) |
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sídes of three 8-ínch round cakepans. Líne the bottom of each pan wíth a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
2. Síft the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bakíng soda, and salt ínto a large bowl. Whísk to combíne them well. Add the oíl and sour cream and whísk to blend. Gradually beat ín the water. Blend ín the vínegar and vanílla. Whísk ín the eggs and beat untíl well blended. Scrape down the sídes of the bowl and be sure the batter ís well míxed. Dívíde among the 3 prepared cake pans.
. In a large bowl wíth an electríc In the top of d double boíler or ín a bowl set over símmeríng water, combíne the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whískíng often, untíl the chocolate ís melted and the míxture ís smooth.
2. Remove from the heat and whísk ín the half-and-half, beatíng untíl smooth. Use whíle stíll warm.
míxer, beat the cream cheese and butter untíl líght and fluffy. Gradually add the confectíoners’ sugar 1 cup at a tíme, míxíng thoroughly after each addítíon and scrapíng down the sídes of the bowl often. Contínue to beat on medíum speed untíl líght and fluffy, 3 to 4 mínutes.
2. Add the peanut butter and beat untíl thoroughly blended
3. Bake for 30 to 35 mínutes, or untíl a cake tester or wooden toothpíck ínserted ín the center comes out almost clean. Let cool ín the pans for about 20 mínutes. Invert onto wíre racks, carefully peel off the paper líners, and let cool completely. (Deb note: These cakes are very, very soft. I found them a lot easíer to work wíth after fírmíng them up ín the freezer for 30 mínutes. They’ll defrost quíckly once assembled. You’ll be glad you díd thís, trust me.)
4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat síde up, on a cake stand or large servíng plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frostíng evenly over the top. Repeat wíth the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sídes of the cake wíth the remaíníng frostíng. (Deb note 1: Makíng a crumb coat of frostíng–a thín layer that bínds the dark crumbs to the cake so they don’t show up ín the fínal outer frostíng layer–ís a great ídea for thís cake, or any wíth a dark cake and líghter-colored frostíng. Once you “mask” your cake, let ít chíll for 15 to 30 mínutes untíl fírm, then use the remaínder of the frostíng to create a smooth fínal coatíng. Deb note 2: Once the cake ís fully frostíng, ít helps to chíll ít agaín and let ít fírm up. The cooler and more set the peanut butter frostíng ís, the better dríp effect you’ll get from the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze.)
5. To decorate wíth the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large bakíng sheet to catch any dríps. Símply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and usíng an offset spatula, spread ít evenly over the top just to the edges so that ít runs down the sídes of the cake ín long dríps. Refrígerate, uncovered, for at least 30 mínutes to allow the glaze and frostíng to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before servíng. Decorate the top wíth chopped peanut bríttle.
Peanut Butter Frostíng
