Thursday, May 21, 2009

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cake with Cream Cheese and Butterfinger Frosting

Do you ever just see the title of a certain recipe and immediately start salivating? That's what happened to me when I saw this cake on Epicurious' list of their Top 30 cakes. This is the first cake I've ever made simply because I HAD TO HAVE IT -- not for someone's birthday or a potluck of some sort. And does this cake ever live up to its name! It is so unbelievably rich and delicious. I made it on Sunday, and Joe and I have single-handedly nearly finished it off. Ah, now I remember: that's why I never make cakes just for us. They're too tempting. Especially this one. There are just no words for it. It is truly a thing of beauty.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cake with Cream Cheese and Butterfinger Frosting
Source: Epicurious

For the filling:

2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 pound golden brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:

12 ounces cream cheese (1 1/2 8-ounce packages), room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, divided
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
Butterfinger candy bars, coarsely chopped

1. For filling, bring cream and sugar to simmer in saucepan, whisking to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in peanut butter. Chill uncovered overnight.

2. For cake, preheat oven to 350°. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl until blended. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. At low speed, beat in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions.

Divide batter among pans and spread evenly. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes 5 minutes. Turn out onto racks; peel off parchment. Cool cakes completely.

3. For frosting, using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Whisk whipping cream and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in bowl until mixture holds medium-firm peaks. Fold into cream cheese mixture in 3 additions; chill until firm but spreadable, about 1 hour.

4. For assembly, place 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on 9-inch tart pan bottom. Spread with half of filling. Place another layer, bottom side up, on work surface. Spread with remaining filling; place atop first layer. Top with remaining cake layer, bottom side up.

Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before continuing.) Press candy onto top of cake.

4 comments:

Keri said...

OMG-- this sounds heavenly. There is a reason I don't make cakes or pies, either:-). We tend to eat them all!!

Debbie said...

Now you can bake...let me tell you that!!! That cake looks fantastic...I would love to try it RIGHT NOW!!!!! Wonderful!

Anonymous said...

oh my goodness! talk about decadence! lovely, esp with a tall glass of cold milk!

Donna-FFW said...

I would love to try my hand at this one also, it looks fantastic and my favorite combo!