There are not many combinations I love more than peanut butter & chocolate. It’s better than peanut butter & jelly, caramel & apples, chocolate & caramel, spaghetti & meatballs, tomato soup & grilled cheese, chocolate & mint, cookies & milk, eggs & bacon, macaroni & cheese, guacamole & chips (though that might come in as second)… Whoever’s the inventor of this combo, I LOVE YOU!!!
We are big fans of anything peanut butter & chocolate in this home. You can bet that we always have some type of ice cream with this combo in our freezer… and if we don’t, it’s a very sad night. Almost any time I ask my husband what I should make for a treat it’s almost always “something with peanut butter and chocolate.” So, when given the challenge from the group #peanutbutterbash to make a dish with something using peanut butter and pumpkin, I knew chocolate had to be part of it for sure!
Pumpkin is the secret ingredient that makes this cake incredibly moist. Since the recipe doesn’t have any pumpkin spices (like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves…) it really just tastes like chocolate so I knew that it would pair perfectly with a peanut butter frosting. And boy was I right! You are going to LOVE this. PEOPLE!!!- Stock up on canned pumpkin while it’s cheap so you can make this scrumptious cake in the summer. I know my husband will be requesting this for his birthday this spring.
If you’re looking for something with more of a pumpkin spice/ fall flavor, try these fantastic Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes.
Oh my was that piece of cake yummy… and really rich. Definitely satisfying but I’m pretty glad Nick and I decided to go halvsies and even let Carly have a few bites.
This is definitely a perfect cake for a party to share with lots of people… unless you are like the kid from Matilda and you can eat a whole rich chocolate cake on you’re own in one sitting. But it’s better for your own health and the happiness of others to share. ; ) Enjoy!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2/3 cup cocoa
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin (you can get by with just 1 cup if that's all you have or want)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
For the Peanut Butter Frosting:
- 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Ganache:
- 6 ounces 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
For the toppings:
- Reese's Bites
- Chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly spray the bottom of two cake pans and then line the bottom with parchment paper (spraying helps the parchment paper stay put). Grease the paper and sides of the pans with butter or shortening.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. In a small bowl combine buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. While mixing on low, alternately add dry ingredients and pumpkin mixture in thirds (scrape the bowl as needed). When evenly combined, pour equally into cake pans and cook for 33-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pan for 5-10 minutes. Loosen around edges and remove from pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Cut off tops of cake if not flat. Place one cake on a cake stand or platter and proceed with making the frosting.
For the frosting:
- Cream butter and peanut butter together using an electric mixer. Mix in vanilla and then mix in powdered sugar a little at a time on low adding the milk alternately with the sugar. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Place about 1 cup of frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and set aside.
- Spread a layer of frosting on the first cake layer and then place the other cake upside down on top (the bottom of the cake creates a perfectly flat top). Apply the rest of the frosting to the top and sides of the cake.
- Place cake in the fridge for 30 minutes before adding ganache.
For the Ganache:
- Heat whipping cream in microwave until boiling hot (about 40 seconds, be sure it doesn't boil over). Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl and pour the hot cream over them. Cover with plastic wrap for 3 minutes and then whisk until smooth. Let it cool for 1-3 minutes to slightly thicken (not any longer! I waited a little too long and had to help it drip down the sides).
For the Toppings:
- Place cake in fridge 5-10 minutes before piping on the remaining frosting. Make 10 swirls, evenly spaced, on the top around the edge of the cake. Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles and top each swirl with a Reese's Bite. Slice and serve.
Do you want to join in on the peanut butter bash fun? If so, email Miranda at miranda@cookiedoughandovenmitt.com and request to join the Peanut Butter Bash facebook group! The first Thursday of each month we post a dessert with peanut butter and a mystery ingredient. This month’s ingredients were peanut butter and pumpkin.
Here are the other peanut butter and pumpkin creations!
I am so happy I found this recipe! While I love pumpkin, I’ve never been a fan of pumpkin pie and that is the usual Thanksgiving dessert in my family. This year I’m bringing this cake!! Thanks:)
Teresa, I don’t really like pumpkin pie either. I hope it was a hit at your Thanksgiving feast!
Oh my! My mouth is watering. This sounds fantastic!
This looks seriously amazing!!! I have to share it! I wish I had a slice right now! What a treat to find this at Foodie Fridays!!
Thanks for sharing it Michelle! 🙂
This is such a beautiful cake! It looks so delicious! Beautiful photographs too!
How do you get the ganache to make this beautiful pattern on the sides of the cake? I mean, it looks like it’s dripping but in a beautiful way (I know this was meant to be that way) and it stops, how? 😮
Well I’m so glad that you think the ganache looks so good Sarah because I was really having a hard time with it. I let it cool a little too long so I had to help push it down the cake with a icing spreader (not sure if that’s the correct term). But yeah, ganache is tricky but usually it cools quickly after putting it on and in the instructions I say to put the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes before adding it on so that helps it cool quickly before the drips reach the bottom.
This looks amazing! My kids love chocolate and peanut butter, so I can see this cake going fast at our home! 🙂
This cake looks amazing! You could put that peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache on just about anything and I’d devour it!
I’m not a fan of pumpkin, but I had to stop by and express how lovely this cake and photos look! Gorgeous!
Well thank you so much Memoria! Do you not like the taste of pumpkin? My husband took some to his friends at school and didn’t mention it was pumpkin and his friend who “doesn’t eat anything pumpkin” ate some and really like it. You can’t really taste the pumpkin with all that chocolate. It really just makes it super moist.
I just made this cake tonight. I didn’t have a lot of time so I just made one layer in a 9×13 pan and then put the peanut butter icing, ganache, and Reese’s on top. I used my kitchen aid and I just made sure to cream the butter and sugar first. I added the eggs one at a time but then I just alternated dry and wet ingredients. I guess my point is that I wasn’t as precise with the recipe but it still turned out great and was a huge hit at my party.
Happy to hear it was a hit at your party Rebecca! And good idea to make it in a 9×13 pan. Definitely an easier and faster way to make a cake.
I am with you on the peanut butter and chocolate combo. It’s the ultimate. Maybe with pb & j being a close second! Your cake is absolutely gorgeous and looks so decadent. Pinning!
Holy Yum that looks incredible!! I love anything pumpkin…but pair that with Pb and chocolate? Yes, please! 🙂
Haha! It is! Thanks Christina.
Holy cow Melanie!! This is one stunning cake!!
Thank you Bobbi! 🙂
Melanie, this cake looks and sound so delicious! Beautiful job, no challenge for you!
I can’t wait to try it! I’ve already pinned our recipe, so I can give it a try! Thanks so
much for sharing with us all.
~Theresa
Well thank you but it was somewhat of a challenge I have to admit. I don’t make cakes often because there is just so much of it and only two of us. Thanks so much for pinning! I hope you get to try it soon.
This looks AMAZING! Well done and thanks for sharing!!!!
WOW. I’m craving this now! I love peanut butter – that’s why the Peanut Butter Bash was appealing to me. I love chocolate even more. I love how you combined the pumpkin into the cake – that’s what I did with my brownies, too. Awesome pics and I am adding your recipe to my list of “recipes to make.”
Awesome! Hope you get to make it soon. I’ll have to try your delicious brownies. I love that pumpkin makes everything so moist!
I am drooling… this looks awesome and I love all the flavours you have going in this cake. Pinned and SU
Yumm!!! This cake looks beautiful and delicious, too!!