Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Love Reese’s?? Then this Reese’s chocolate peanut butter cake recipe is for you! It’s made with moist chocolate cake layers, creamy peanut butter frosting, and loads of Reese’s peanut butter cups.

How to Make This Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

To make sure this cake turns out as amazing as possible, let’s walk through each step together! I’ve also included a video tutorial of the process below.

I figured it might be helpful to know what tools I use too, so I’ve shared a list below.

Not all of these are mandatory, but they make the process a lot easier. If you don’t have all these things on hand, feel free to improvise and work with what you have.

• 3, 8-inch cake pans or 4, 7-inch cake pans
• Serrated Knife
• Spinning cake stand
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• 10-inch greaseproof cake board or flat plate
• Large offset spatula
• 1 Large piping bag

Step 1: Bake the Chocolate Cake Layers

The first step is to make the chocolate cake batter following the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake the layers for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Remove the cake layers from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 30 minutes.

Gently run an offset spatula around the rim of the cake pans to loosen them, then flip the cake layers onto wire racks to finish cooling.

Once cooled, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer.

If you’re making these in advance, you can wrap and freeze them at this point.

Step 2: Make the Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the peanut butter buttercream.

I like to use my American buttercream (ABC) as a base because it is super easy to make, and the sweetness of the frosting pairs so nicely with the salty peanut butter.

If you aren’t a fan of ABC, I’d recommend adding peanut butter to a batch of my Swiss meringue buttercream or 1.5 batches of my hybrid buttercream.

This frosting can also be made in advance if needed and kept in the fridge for up to a month.

Step 3: Stack and Fill the Cake Layers

Then it’s time to assemble this cake! Stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate. Use a dab of buttercream to help stick the first cake layer to the board.

Spread a thin layer of buttercream on top of the cake layer.

Pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge of the cake layer and fill the center with your favorite peanut butter. I like to add about 1/3 cup of peanut butter between each layer.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups on top of the peanut butter.

Flip the top cake layer upside down to make the cake easier to frost and get sharp corners.

Step 4: Chill and Crumb Coat the Cake

Chill the cake in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to prevent the layers from sliding, then add a thin coat of frosting around the cake that fully covers the cake layers.

Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake again in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

Step 5: Add the Second Layer of Frosting

Then add a second, thicker layer of peanut butter frosting to the cake and smooth using a bench scraper and offset spatula.

Then chill the cake one more time in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

Step 6: Make the Chocolate Ganache Drip & Decorate This Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

The last component is the chocolate ganache. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer, then pour it over the milk chocolate.

Stir until the cream and chocolate are combined and smooth. If the mixture seems too thin or thick, you can add a touch more chocolate chips or heavy cream.

The type of cream and chocolate that you use can affect the consistency, along with the temperature of the ganache. Feel free to adjust as needed.

Pour the warm chocolate ganache on top of the cake and gently push it over the edge of the cake using a small offset spatula.

Chill the cake again in the freezer for 5 minutes to give the ganache time to set a bit.

Add the remaining chopped up peanut butter cups and buttercream in a ring around the top of the cake, then enjoy!

Substitutions and Swaps – Chocolate Cake Layers

This recipe uses quite a few ingredients, and I know you might not have them all on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this cake recipe.

• All-Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with all-purpose flour. However, you can swap in a good gluten-free flour blend (like this) if needed. Just be sure to stir the batter longer than normal to help give the cake proper structure, and let the batter sit for about 20 minutes before baking it if you opt to make a gluten-free version.
• Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of the cake layers.
• Baking Cocoa – I like to use the Ghirardelli or Hershey’s brand of unsweetened baking cocoa, but you can use any brand! You can also use dark or black cocoa powder.
• Buttermilk – You can also use full-fat yogurt, sour cream, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat).
• Vegetable Oil – Any flavorless oil can be used in this recipe. Canola, vegetable, or even sunflower oil would all work great. I don’t recommend olive oil, though, as it has a strong flavor and will change the taste of the cake.
• Eggs – This recipe uses 2 large eggs. If you have an egg allergy, you can try using a vegan egg replacer.

Substitutions and Swaps – Peanut Butter Buttercream

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place.
• Peanut Butter – I recommend making this frosting with creamy peanut butter that is shelf-stable. I usually use JIF or Skippy. Natural peanut butters that separate easily can cause the frosting to break.
• Heavy Cream – Whipping cream, coconut cream, or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat, coconut) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• Vanilla Extract – Other extracts can also be used in place of the vanilla extract if needed.

Making This Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake in Different Sizes

One batch of batter is about 1500g or 8 cups, so I add roughly 500g to each of my cake pans when using 3, 8-inch cake pans, or 375g to my cake pans when using 4, 7-inch cake pans.

You can also use one batch of batter to make 2, 9-inch cake layers or 4, 6-inch cake layers. Bake time will be a few minutes longer at 350°F/175°C.

If you want to make chocolate peanut butter cupcakes, this recipe can be used to make 2 dozen cupcakes. Fill the liners 3/4 full and bake for 18-21 minutes at 350°F/175°C.

If you want to make a tiered cake with this recipe, check out my cake batter calculator to see how many batches of batter you’ll need.

Can This Cake Be Made in Advance?

Short answer – yes! I highly recommend making the components of this cake in stages. It breaks the process up and makes it so much more approachable!

The cake layers can be made in advance and frozen. They taste just as great when they’re frozen as when they’re fresh, I promise!

You can also make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

A frosted cake can be stored for up to a week in the fridge as long as there’s no fresh fruit in it. The buttercream will lock all the moisture in and keep it fresh.

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Tips for Making the Best Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

• Properly measure the flour. Either spoon it into the cup measure, then level with a knife, or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Ingredients at room temperature mix together better, so be sure to set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. It helps the cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
• Chill the cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. This makes them easier to stack and frost.
• Level the room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack and fill.
• Chill the cake before adding the crumb coat. This will help lock the filling in place and prevent the cake layers from sliding.
• If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, check out my cake troubleshooting guide to try to figure out what happened.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you make this Reese’s chocolate peanut butter cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Let me know by leaving a rating and comment below.

And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets if you share on social media so that I can see your amazing creations.

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Below are some of the original pictures of this cake from back in 2013!!