Sometimes you want some cake but don’t want to go through the process of making the layers and carefully stacking them and then frosting the whole thing. That’s where a snack cake comes in!
Some people say that a snack cake is one where you don’t need to make a frosting. If you’re one of those people then fine, this isn’t really a snack cake. But whatever you want to call this, it’s GOOD and so simple!
THE RECIPE
This cake is so good and you just need a few pantry staples to make it!
- the cake – it’s rich but not too rich and so simple to make! all you need is a bowl and a whisk and you’re in good shape.
- the frosting – normally I’m not a big fan of American buttercream but, with the peanut butter, it’s so good and not too butter-y. It also freezes beautifully so if you wanted to make a double batch or make it in advance just let it come to room temperature and whip it again before using it
- the candied peanuts – optional, but I love the crunch they add! they’re also so easy to make and are such a fun little snack
You also have a few serving options for this cake! You could pipe the frosting into beautiful designs, or just give it a swirl with an offset spatula and call it a day. Whichever makes you happy, it’ll be absolutely delicious!
VARIATIONS
For this recipe I would play with the flavor of the frosting! Substitute the peanut butter for whatever you’ve got – any kind of jam would be delicious! Imagine this with an orange frosting, oh man. Adding jam instead of peanut butter may impact the consistency of the frosting, but add a bit of extra powdered sugar if it needs to be a bit thicker or add milk, a teaspoon at a time, if you need to thin it out.
Looking for other cake ideas? I’ve got you covered there too:
- pumpkin coffee cake
- chocolate peanut butter snack cake
- lemon poppy seed bundt cake
- pumpkin spice cupcakes
- peach bourbon bundt cake
- hot fudge sundae cupcakes
I really love this recipe, and my family ate it right up when I shared it with them! Let me know what kind of variations you come up with 🙂
Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Cake
Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Cake Sometimes you want a cake but don't want to deal with the layers and the crumb coat - that's where this comes in. Easy and decadent, I love it! Topped with optional candied peanuts for some crunch and fun, its perfect for any occasion, even if the occasion is just that its Thursday.
Ingredients
for the cake
- 175 g sugar
- 105 g all purpose flour
- 42 g cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 g baking powder
- 4 g baking soda
- 114 g buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla
- 50 g neutral oil
- 85 g boiling water
for the frosting
- 226 g unsalted butter, softened
- 405 g creamy peanut butter
- 227 g powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
for the candied peanuts
- 142 g salted peanuts
- 100 g sugar
- 57 g water
- sprinkle of cinnamon
Instructions
Make the cake
- prep: preheat the oven to 350*. grease an 8x8 pan with nonstick spray and line it with a parchment paper sling. set aside
- combine the dry ingredients: in a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. mix well and set aside
- combine the wet ingredients: in a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and oil.
- bring it together and bake: add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. add the boiling water and mix until combined. pour into the prepared pan and bake for 28-32 minutes or until the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. allow to cool fully
Make the frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and peanut butter. Use the whisk attachment to whip them on medium speed until light and fluffy, it will take several minutes. scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times during this process
- add the powdered sugar and salt and mix briefly with the spatula before mixing with the mixer so that it doesn't spray all over your kitchen. mix on medium until fully combined and fluffy. set aside
Make the candied peanuts
- in a wide, shallow pan, combine the peanuts, sugar, and water. place over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves and the water evaporates. turn down the heat slightly and continue cooking, stirring often, until the sugar becomes and caramel and coats all of the nuts. if the nuts start to brown in places you're just seconds away from burning the whole lot, so remove from the heat
- spread the nuts onto a baking sheet and allow to cool. break up any large chunks
Assemble the cake
- once the cake is fully cooled, place it onto a serving plate
- pipe or spread the frosting onto the top of the cake
- place the candied peanuts into a small bag and crush slightly with a rolling pan or heavy bottomed pot. sprinkle over top of the frosting
- enjoy!
A lovely cake!