I just made the cake to trump all cakes. A giant Reeses peanut butter cup cake.
I actually was challenged by my boyfriend’s brother months ago to make this cake. He later told me I didn’t have to because it would take too long and it looks impossible.
Impossible you say? Oh ho ho..challenge accepted!
So I went to the nearest store that sells baking supplies and picked out a GIANT cupcake pan. When I got home, I wondered how I would ever be able to take this cake out of that pan without all the chocolate being destroyed. There must be a better way!
Looking around online, I found this Big Top Cupcake Silicone Mold, and I’m glad I did. I bought it from eBay, which made it all that much cheaper, and waited for it to arrive.
As soon as it arrived, I wasted no time, and made this right away. Warning: it takes a while to make!!
After I made the huge one, I still had some batter, peanut butter filling and chocolate ganache left, so I made a smaller, lighter version as in the pictures below.
If I were to make this again (and I bought some bakeware specifically for this so.. why not?) I would definitely make that lighter version. There was too much chocolate on the edges of the first one, while this one was just right.
You can just tell how good this was by the way I was licking every plate, bowl, spoon, mixer…that got into contact with this stuff. This was definitely worth the effort. If you want to give a special someone a surprise on their birthday, you should make them this cake.
Peanut Butter Cup Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup salted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Filling
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp salted butter
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (or more, add to your liking)
Chocolate Ganache
- 4 Tbsp salted butter
- 1 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 26 oz chocolate chips
Instructions
- For the cake: In a small bowl, mix together the milk and vinegar and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the water, 3/4 cup butter and cocoa powder on medium heat. Stir constantly. As soon as it begins to boil, remove from stove.
- Pour the cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. Add in the egg, milk mixture and vanilla, and mix until fully incorporated.
- Grease the giant cupcake silicone mold with butter and pour a little cocoa powder over the butter. Shake around until the butter is coated with powder.
- Pour about 3/4 inch of batter into the bottom of the mold.
- Bake at 325˚F for about 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cool. When cool, cut the top of with a large serrated knife so that it is flat and leveled.
- Repeat steps 5-8.
- For the peanut butter filling: In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter filling ingredients, adding more peanut butter until it tastes right to you.
- Trace the bottom of the mold onto a piece of wax paper. Take the peanut butter mixture and form a little “patty” in the centre. Leave space between the edge of the paper and the peanut butter patty. Refrigerate for around 2 hours.
- Once the layers are formed, cut the layers so that they fit into the mold with spaces around the sides. (See photo below)
- For the chocolate ganache: In a large saucepan, heat the 4 tablespoons of butter and whipping cream on medium heat. Heat until it begins to bubble.
- Remove from stove and add the chocolate chips. Let sit for a minute, then slowly stir it in. Pour around 3/4 inch of ganache into the mold. Place it in the fridge to cool, then transfer to freezer for a bit.
- Place one layer of chocolate cake on the bottom, then the peanut butter layer, then another chocolate cake layer.
- Rewarm the chocolate ganache until just melted (avoid stirring too much). Pour around the sides of the cake layers and cover the top. Refrigerate, then transfer to freezer.
- Carefully peel back the mold
Notes
For the lighter version with less chocolate as in the last two pictures, use only one chocolate cake layer for the bottom, place the peanut butter layer on top, then pour some chocolate ganache on top so that it just covers the peanut butter layer. Freeze until the chocolate is hard.
Forget making this for someone else…I want to make this for my OWN birthday!! This is my cake heaven right here!
Yummy
wow , it looks so delicious !
Holy freakin' awesome!
Looks like a perfect chocolate to peanut butter ratio!
chocolate and peanut butter together makes me think of Reeses Pieces , how can you resist the two , thanks for sharings:).
Oh wow! It's like my dream..come true! 😀
I have to admit that I am not a giant fan of peanut butter. But since there is an exception to every rule, you must know that I adore peanut butter cups. This looks fabulous and it is bookmarked!
yummm….looks great,
Oooh….two of my kids would go nuts for this cake. I have a feeling I would, too! Love that mold!
Wow. THis is so amazing! And would almost certainly be my favorite cake. Ever.
Golly – you had me at "peanut butter cup…" this looks wonderful!
Yummyyyy cupcakeee
My mY!! That's one giant cupcake full of sinful goodness! Looks so yummy 😀
Oh my goodness…could this be any more fabulous? I love Reese's Peanut Butter cups, and I have no doubt I would be head over heels for this cake!
wow!! I would happily eat either version 🙂 my guy is obsessed with reeses I can't wait to see the look on his face when I show him your pics!
YUM! Pinned. New follower for your page. Stop over to follow back:) I'm gluten free, but now I'm going to adapt some peanut butter into my chocolate gf brownies!!!!!
wow! I am drooling! This is on my list to make for sure. Found you via Pin Me linky party. Have a great weekend!
Melanie
violetsbuds.blogspot.com
Hi Cathleen, I think I would have had to make this too. I think it was a good idea you used the silicone mold. I remember one time I made this elaborate cake in a bundt pan and when I went to take it out it broke to bits. Whoops, it still tasted good, but yours came out the way it should. I bet it was hard not to eat it all in one sitting.
-Gina-
Oh my god! That's legitimately one of the coolest, most wonderful, most mouth-watering cakes I've ever seen! I want this for my birthday. Hope you're shipping. 😉
Wow, this is a showstopper right here! I love it when a cake both looks amazing and tastes amazing. Love it!
So funny, my friend saw that recipe a few weeks ago and challenged me to make it for her birthday!!!! I said I didn't think it was possible but clearly it is! I think I'll use your recipe instead 🙂
Oh, this really made me smile! My son would flip! : )
Interesting and looks so good. I have to make these with the mold, how perfect does it look.
OMG this cake is AMAZING! It sounds unbelievable! I love peanut butter cups and in a cake – it has to be amazing! Great recipe! Thanks Cathleen! 🙂
That is insanely awesome! Pinned. Thanks for sharing at my Pin Me Party!
What a fabulous cake, Cathleen! I love that it looks exactly like a humongous Reese's Peanut Butter Cup! I hope your boyfriend and his brother were suitably impressed.
Oh, that looks awesome! thanks for sharing @DearCreatives party! Hope to see you again this week. I'll be sure to give your recipe a shout out!
This looks amazing! I am definitely making it for a party this weekend but am curious…In step 6, is it 1/2 of the batter or 2-4 inches of the batter? Thanks for sharing!
Oops. It's supposed to be 3/4 inch. Thanks for the correction!