Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

Calling all peanut butter lovers!! If you are in love with (and possibly have an addiction to) peanut butter and chocolate like I am, then I insist that you make this amazing chocolate cake! Last Thursday was my friend's birthday, and for a special surprise two of my friends and I wanted to bake an amazing cake for him - and this cake seemed like the perfect thing to bake! Even though we didn't exactly have Mary Berry baking skills, we were more than willing to give it ago - and we were so happy with the result! My friend was so happy with the cake that we had made him, and everyone enjoyed eating it too!

So how do you make this delicious cake?

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SPONGE

225g Plain Flour

225g Caster Sugar
95g Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 tsp Baking Powder

2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs

1 Cup of Brewed Strong Coffee
235ml Buttermilk
120ml Canola or Olive Oil

FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER CREAM

115g Butter
4 tbsp Milk or Heavy Cream
225g Smooth Peanut Butter
250g Icing Sugar

FOR THE GANACHE

200ml Double Cream
130g Dark Chocolate

TO DECORATE

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Minis

EQUIPMENT

Regular Sandwich Cake Tins
Greaseproof Paper
Spatula
Palette Knife
Small Saucepan
Electric Mix
Wooden Spoon
Mixing Bowls
Piping Equipment

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to approximately 175 degrees celsius and grease the cake tins with butter and greaseproof paper.

2. For the sponge, put the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon.

3. In a separate bowl electrically mix together the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract together. Slowly add the dry mixture in while the mixer is on low.

4. Add the coffee with the mixer on low, and ensure the mixture is combined well. The batter with be very thin. (We were a bit concerned at first with how runny the mixture was but seriously don't worry - it's meant to be like that trust me!)

5. Pour the batter into the prepared tins and bake for about 25 minutes.

6. Allow to cool on a cooling rack. While our cakes were cooling we decided to make the icing.

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7. Using the electric whisk, blend together the peanut butter cream ingredients in a bowl until light and fluffy. (It's that simple!)

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8. For the ganache, chop your chocolate into little bits and put them into a bowl. Heat the double cream in a small saucepan on a low heat until it's close to bowling point.

9. Pour the heated cream over the chopped up chocolate and gently mix it together until the chocolate is fully melted, smooth and shiny. Then allow the ganache to cool as you begin to assemble and decorate the cake.

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10. Once your cakes are completely cool, begin to spread your peanut butter cream on them. Sandwich the cakes together with a generous layer of the peanut butter cream and then spread it all across the top and sides of it. Make it as smooth as possible. In addition, keep a bit of the peanut butter cream to the side to use for piping later. 

11. Take your ganache and smooth it upon the peanut butter cream all over the cake. Use a spatula to achieve a smooth and smart finish.

12. Now time for the piping! Take your piping equipment and be creative! We decided to pipe around the bottom of the cake in a ribbon type pattern and I think it worked quite well!

13. Finish your cake off with placing the Reese's peanut butter cup minis across the top of the cake in any design you fancy.

14. You have finished! Now it is time to light the candles, sing happy birthday and eat the cake! (The best part!)

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