Simple Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
You are going to love this Simple Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting! This recipe features a moist chocolate sheet cake with a generous layer of sweet peanut butter frosting. Great for your next birthday cake!
I created this recipe using my Chocolate Cupcakes recipe and my delicious Peanut Butter Frosting recipe. Instead of cupcakes, I made it into a 9×13-inch cake and spread the frosting on top for a simple yet delicious cake. I also made it a bit fancier by sprinkling chopped peanut butter cups and a drizzle of melted chocolate on top but that’s completely optional.
This chocolate sheet cake will complete my collection of easy and simple chocolate cakes on my blog because I already have cupcakes and a chocolate layer cake recipe. And, of course, I had to top it with my Peanut Butter Frosting because chocolate and peanut butter is one of my favourite flavour combinations!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make- no layering or individual frosting involved
- Feeds a crowd
- Superb flavour combination
- Additional toppings make the cake look fancier but still so easy to make
- Great for any occasion- for those with peanut allergies swap the frosting with Chocolate Buttercream, Vanilla Buttercream, or even this Brown Sugar icing would taste delicious!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Cake Ingredients
- Butter or margarine: a basic but necessary ingredient for cake.
- Sugar: adds the sweetness!
- Eggs: create structure and stability.
- Baking Powder: helps the cake to rise.
- Vanilla extract: flavour enhancer.
- Soured milk: Souring the milk first provides the appropriate acidity to the cake batter. See the note below on how to sour milk.
- Baking Soda: In combination with the soured milk it acts as a leavening agent and gives a slight tang.
- All-purpose Flour: no need for special cake flour.
- Cocoa Powder: adds that chocolately flavour.
- Boiling water: helps to dissolve and hydrate the cocoa powder and mix it into the cake batter.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- Butter: the main ingredient in this buttercream frosting.
- Creamy peanut butter: adds that peanut butter flavour.
- Icing Sugar: adds sweetness and a thicker consistency
- Milk or cream: helps loosen it up.
- Vanilla: flavour enhancer.
- Salt: flavour enhancer.
Instructions
Chocolate Sheet Cake
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×13 inch cake pan and set aside.
Blend in a large bowl 1/4 cup of margarine or butter, 1 cup white sugar, and 2 eggs. Add 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and blend.
Then mix 1 cup of soured milk* with 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Add this alternatively with 2 cups of all-purpose flour to your above mixture.
*Tidbit: to make “soured milk” place 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into a 1 cup measure cup. Then pour milk in until it reaches the 1 cup line. Mix and let sit for 5 minutes.
Mix 1/3 cup of cocoa and 1/2 cup of boiling water to remove any lumps. Add this to your batter and mix until fully incorporated.
Pour into your greased cake pan 3/4 full. Bake at 350° F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool before frosting.
Peanut Butter Frosting
Beat 1 cup of unsalted butter on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup of icing sugar, 2 and 1/2 tablespoons of milk or cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt.
Gradually beat in another 3 and 1/2 cups of icing sugar, beating well after each addition until smooth.
Spread frosting all over the cooled cake. If desired, top with chopped peanut butter cups, melted chocolate and/or melted peanut butter. Slice and serve.
Storage Tips
Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months, just thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
Simple Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
This recipe features a moist chocolate sheet cake with a generous layer of sweet peanut butter frosting. Great for your next birthday cake!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- ¼ cup margarine or butter
- 1 cup sugar granulated
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk soured*
- 2 cups flour all-purpose
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- ½ water boiled
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup peanut butter creamy
- 4 cups icing sugar
- 2 ½ tbsp milk or cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
Optional Toppings
- Peanut butter cups chopped
- chocolate melted
- creamy peanut butter melted
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
-
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×13 inch cake pan and set aside. (You can also place a piece of parchment paper onto the bottom if you are taking the cake out of the pan to frost it.)
-
Blend in a large bowl 1/4 cup of margarine or butter, 1 cup white sugar, and 2 eggs. Add 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and blend.
-
Then mix 1 cup of soured milk* with 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Add this alternatively with 2 cups of all-purpose flour to your above mixture.
-
Mix 1/3 cup of cocoa and 1/2 cup of boiling water to remove any lumps. Add this to your batter and mix until fully incorporated.
-
Pour into your greased cake pan 3/4 full. Bake at 350° F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool before frosting.
Peanut Butter Frosting
-
Beat 1 cup of unsalted butter on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup of icing sugar, 2 and 1/2 tablespoons of milk or cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt.
-
Gradually beat in another 3 and 1/2 cups of icing sugar, beating well after each addition until smooth.
-
Spread frosting all over the cooled cake. If desired, top with chopped peanut butter cups, melted chocolate and/or melted peanut butter. Slice and serve.
Recipe Notes
*To make “soured milk” place 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into a 1 cup measure cup. Then pour milk in until it reaches the 1 cup line. Mix and let sit for 5 minutes.
Store tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can be frozen for up to 2 months, just thaw overnight in fridge and let it come to room temperature before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
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