Cake

Dark Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting, Peanut Butter Ganache and Peanut Brittle Cake.

The dark chocolate cake isn't that dark- it's just moist and delicious. I've never been super happy with from-scratch cakes but this recipe is amazing!

Dark Chocolate Cake

from Allrecipes.com

• 2 cups boiling water or coffee
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 - 9 inch round cake pans. In medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at time, then stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

8 ounces seimsweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup half-and-half or milk

1. Melt chocolate in microwave in intervals until melted and smooth. Whisk in peanut butter and liquid until desired consistency. Use warm.

Peanut Brittle

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup (or use homemade, cheaper substitute like)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups peanuts
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Grease a large cookie sheet or use a silpat. Set aside.
2. In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 250 degrees F and add peanuts. Keep cooking until mixture reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.
3. Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter or margarine and baking soda; pour at once onto cookie sheet or silpat. Cool. Snap candy into pieces.

To Assemble Cake:

Fill layers of dark chocolate cake with peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Stack and frost entire cake. Let sit in fridge until the frosting hardens a bit then pour on glaze and let it drip down the sides. Decorate with chopped peanuts and peanut brittle.