Reese's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

4.92 from 49 ratings

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.

Prep Time30

Cook Time24

Additional Time1

Total Time1 54

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24

Calories: 664kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour 260g
2 cups granulated sugar 400g
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 75g
2 tsp baking powder 8g
1 1/2 tsp baking soda 9g
1 tsp fine salt 6g
1 cup warm water 240g
1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature 255g
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil 110g
2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
1 tsp instant espresso or coffee - optional 1g

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 339
1 cup creamy peanut butter 250g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
7 cups powdered sugar 904g or 2 lb. bag
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g

Chocolate Ganache

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips 85g

Additional Cake Filling and Decoration

1 cup peanut butter
2 cups chopped Reese's peanut butter cups

Instructions

Chocolate Cake Layers

Make the chocolate cake layers first so that they have time to cool. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease and line three eight-inch cake pans.
Sift or whisk together 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a separate, large bowl, add 1 cup warm water, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, and 1 tsp instant espresso and whisk together until fully incorporated.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until they're just combined, and the batter is mostly smooth (a few small lumps are ok).
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake 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 them onto wire racks to finish cooling.
Once cooled, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer. If you are making these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the buttercream frosting. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1 1/2 cups of butter and 1 cup of creamy peanut butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
Mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed until the ingredients are incorporated.
Gradually mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar and 1/3 cup of heavy cream on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
Mix on low until the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting seems too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).
Place 1/3 of the frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip, or cut an opening that's about 3/4-inch at the base of the bag. Cover the remaining frosting with plastic wrap to prevent crusting and set aside.

Assembling this Reese's Cake

Then it's time to assemble the cake. Stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate using 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. Then 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.
Repeat with the remaining cake layers. Flip the top cake layer upside down to make the cake easier to frost and get sharp corners. Gently press down on top of the cake with your hands once all the layers are stacked to press out any air that's between the layers.
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 in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
Then add a second, thicker layer of peanut butter frosting to the cake and smooth using a bench scraper and an 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.

Chocolate Ganache Drips

While the cake chills, make the chocolate ganache. Heat 1/3 cup of heavy cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, until it's just beginning to bubble. Gently pour 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips into the heavy cream, making sure they are fully covered with cream. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute.
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.

Decorating This Reese's Cake

Pour the 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!

Video

Notes

If you need to make any substitutions or swaps in this recipe, please check out the section on ingredient substitutions in the post above.

Making this Reese's Layer Cake in Different Sizes

One batch of batter is about 1500g, so I add roughly 500g to each of my cake pans when using 3, 8-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 a tiered cake with this recipe, check out my cake batter calculator to see how many batches of batter you'll need.

If you want to make Reese's cupcakes, this recipe can be used to make 2 dozen cupcakes. Fill the liners 3/4 full and bake at 350°F/175°C for 20-22 minutes.

My Tips for Making the Best Reese's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Ingredients at room temperature mix together better! Be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Mix your cake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cake layers are tender and fluffy.
Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. This makes sure each pan has the same amount of batter and will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!

Making This Reese's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

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 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 or in the freezer for 3 months.

The ganache can also be stored 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 last in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for a month. The buttercream locks in the moisture and keeps the cake fresh and delicious!

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

Nutrition