This Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is the ultimate cake for birthdays or any celebration! It tastes like Reese's peanut butter cups in cake form. The peanut butter cake is moist and rich and the perfect complement to the chocolate frosting!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two round 8" cake pans with parchment paper or grease and flour.
In a large bowl, warm the peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds, just until soft.
Add the oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk until totally smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and milk and whisk again until smooth.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and stir just until combined. Divide between prepared baking pans.
Bake for 22-27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs (not batter!). Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
If desired, slice cooled cakes in half to produce 4 cake layers and make the frosting.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
In a medium bowl, combine chocolate and cream. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and stir until completely melted and smooth, cooking on high another 15 seconds if necessary. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.
Add the cocoa powder and sugar and beat until combined.
Add the cooled chocolate (it can still be slightly warm) and beat to incorporate, then beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. The colour of the frosting will lighten as you beat it.
Spread frosting over cooled cake and decorate as desired. Serve or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.