Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cake is a good old Southern potluck staple that’s reached cult status. The hot peanutty frosting gets poured right onto the warm cake, and the whole thing gets showered with roasted peanuts. Just divine.
This old fashioned sheet cake is a winner!
In case you’ve ever wondered, the ratio of attempted recipes to those that actually make it onto the blog is about 1 to 1. That’s to say that for every winner there’s a loser. Today’s lucky winner is an amazing peanut butter cake that has been taunting me from a magazine clipping on my refrigerator door for months. I finally tackled it and now I’m a happy girl.
I can’t imagine there are too many of you out there who wouldn’t enjoy this peanut butter cake. I loved everything about it. Starting with the cake itself, peanut butter does something wonderful to the texture. It’s not too sweet, just the way I like it, and very pillowy and moist.
But can we talk about that frosting?
The peanut butter frosting is like peanutty caramel, so good!
If you’ve tried my Brown Sugar Peach Cake or my Pumpkin Praline Cake, you might have an inkling about this one. The frosting is cooked in a saucepan, and then literally poured right over the cake. It sets up immediately, almost like fudge or caramel. You have to work quickly, but your reward is that saucepan with a thin layer of peanut frosting clinging to the sides…Let’s just say I stood there scraping it with a spoon for an embarrassingly looooong time.
The batter for this easy cake gets whisked together right in a saucepan.
The batter is thin enough that you can whisk it up in a saucepan, no mixer needed. That makes this amazing cake dangerously easy to throw together.
The older this blog gets, the longer my favorites list gets, but I’m looking you straight in the eye when I say this cake is a goodie. You’ll love it, and it will serve you well if you need an easy dessert to bring anywhere this season. The 9×13 cake can serve up to 24 people, right out of the pan. Try it.
Reader Rave ~
“I never bake but I made this for my son’s birthday and my whole family thinks it may be the best cake they ever ate. We are die-hard peanut butter fans so perhaps we are biased-but regardless the cake was divine! The frosting is so good, like a peanut butter caramel.
Thanks for a great recipe!!” ~Gerry
Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 stick, or 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup peanut butter, not natural
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
frosting
- 1 stick, or 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 6 Tbsp buttermilk, you might need a touch more if your frosting is too stiff
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioner's sugar sifted
garnish
- roasted peanuts, about 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Spray a 9x13 pan.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- Heat the butter and water in a medium/large saucepan until it comes to a boil. Take off the heat and whisk in the peanut butter and oil until smooth. Let cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until well blended.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and whisk until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the cake on a cooling rack while you make the frosting.
- To make the frosting, put the butter, peanut butter, and buttermilk in a saucepan and bring to a full boil. Take off the heat and beat in the vanilla and powdered sugar, adding a cup at a time, until the frosting is smooth. I like to put it back on a gentle heat just to rewarm it, stirring constantly, before pouring over the cake. Note: if your frosting is very stiff and not pourable, add a little bit more buttermilk to thin it out.
- Pour the hot frosting over the warm cake, working quickly because the frosting sets up immediately. Spread evenly over cake.
- Garnish with peanuts.
Notes
- Make it chunky! Yes, of course, go ahead and use chunky PB for this cake. I would still use smooth for the frosting, but that's your call.
331 Comments
Rita Jackson
January 9, 2021 at 6:28 pmThis dang cake!!!?
AnaClaudia
December 24, 2020 at 6:01 amDoes this cake not need baking powder? I madethis yesterday following the recipe exactly. The cake came out super dense.
Sue
December 24, 2020 at 6:29 amNo, this recipe doesn’t call for it, the texture is somewhat dense, but that should be in a good way!
Coco
November 24, 2020 at 7:50 amCould this be made into a 8in layer cake?
Sue
November 24, 2020 at 8:01 amThe cake has a super moist texture so it’s not the best recipe for a layer cake, but some may have done it, you might check the comments Coco.
Bryleigh Swartz
November 21, 2020 at 9:17 pmDoes this cake need to be refrigerated?
Sue
November 22, 2020 at 10:07 amI leave it out for a day, then refrigerate for longer storage.
Eva shipley
November 3, 2020 at 11:41 amI add a layer of semi sweet chocolate chips on the cake while it’s warm. So it’s not so overwhelm with peanut butter.
So good.
Katie Bell
October 21, 2020 at 7:10 pmFor anyone wondering:
I was able to make this into a two layer cake. I used two 9inch cake pans ( that’s what I had).
I put the frosting in the middle of my layers. I let my cake sit in the fridge overnight and I let my frosting cool before putting it on the cake.
I hope this helps
Crystal Ludke
September 28, 2020 at 3:38 pmThis cake is absolutely Amazing first time I made it I did exactly as it was on recipe and it was so good !! I just made it again I didn’t have creamy pb so I used crunchy instead and it was just as delicious!! Thank you so much for this recipe !!
stephanie
September 23, 2020 at 3:01 amHello im planning on doing it today
Can u please tell me what do u mean by peanut butter not natural? Its the creamy one no?
And how do u do the buttermilk? In my country we dnt have it
Katherine
September 22, 2020 at 2:25 pmCan you use regular milk instead of buttermilk
Sue
September 22, 2020 at 4:05 pmYes, that’s fine. I’d use whole milk.
Cynthia
November 14, 2020 at 11:04 amIf buttermilk is not available, just add 1 teaspoon vinegar per cup of milk. I haven’t purchased buttermilk in decades, though it is readily available here.
Rita Jackson
January 9, 2021 at 6:42 pmThis cake!!!?
Rob in Canada
October 3, 2020 at 7:29 pmI believe “not natural” means to use peanut butter made with ground peanuts AND hydrogenated vegetable oil. That’s the regular kind of peanut butter that does not separate and does not need to be refrigerated. For this recipe, do NOT use “natural” peanut butter that is 109% ground peanuts. It won’t work properly in this recipe.
Roxane
September 14, 2020 at 6:29 pmOmg the best peanut butter cake I have ever eaten. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. The frosting is perfect on this cake and super easy to make as well!! I however used becel margarine instead of butter for both the cake and the frosting. Again thank you so much for this recipe amazingly delicious ?
Marti
September 12, 2020 at 1:51 pmBest peanut butter cake ever.
Sue
September 12, 2020 at 5:34 pm🙂 So glad you loved it Marti.
Kristina
September 11, 2020 at 7:49 pmI just made the cake and ended up with a lot of extra frosting. Can I freeze it to use another time? The cake batter was delicious, by the way. We are looking forward to tasting the finished thing tomorrow for my son’s birthday.
Amands
September 10, 2020 at 5:15 pmMade this today. It’s delicious!
I had to add more buttermilk to thin out the frosting as I kept it warm
Definitely keeping this recipe. Thank you
janice
September 3, 2020 at 6:22 pmI had this cake in grade school. So delicious. My question, I am a diabetic. Can I use stevia for the cake and what kind of sugar other than confectioner for the frosting?
Sue
September 4, 2020 at 6:47 amI’m not super familiar with sugar substitutes, Janice. I usually recommend using ones that are closest to the consistency of the original sugar specified in a recipe, so use a 1 to 1 ratio granulated sugar substitute for the cake, and a powdered sugar substitute for the icing, if you can.
Sherri D Waters
September 20, 2020 at 3:01 pmI used xylitol from Walmart. Measurements are the same as sugar
Sue
September 20, 2020 at 4:01 pmThanks Sherri 🙂
Michelle
August 27, 2020 at 8:58 pmThis cake was amazing!! I made it for my husband’s birthday, we all had a piece and went to bed. During the night somebody (or somebodies) ate the rest of the cake and it was completely gone when I got up! Only bad part was I didn’t get a second piece!
Sherri D Waters
September 20, 2020 at 3:03 pmThis recipe is absolutely delicious. Thank you
Jo Teran
August 23, 2020 at 5:15 pmOMG!!!
This cake was sinfully delicious and super easy to make.
The recipe is perfect exactly the way it is written! No reason to make any modifications.
Thank you for sharing!
Jenny
August 21, 2020 at 6:55 pmCan you use milk instead of buttermilk?
Sue
August 21, 2020 at 6:59 pmI haven’t tried that, but I think it should be fine.
Beth
July 28, 2020 at 6:29 amThe cake itself turned out really really good but with the frosting it wouldnt boil and instead it separated and left me with a chunky oilly mess , what did i do wrong?
sher
July 24, 2020 at 9:13 amPlease make recipes printable for us old folks…….thanks
Sue
July 24, 2020 at 9:20 amHey Sher, all the recipes should be printable, the print button is at the top right of the recipe, under the recipe photo. Let me know if you still have trouble.
Xav
July 16, 2020 at 1:44 amHi, I tired the recipe but in form of cupcakees. The taste is fantastic, but the inside is still gooey even though i baked it for 30 mins at 180 deg cel. May i know what should the temperature and baking time be for cupcake about 2″ diameter?
Thank you!
Christine
July 12, 2020 at 6:32 amThis is so good! I didn’t have any peanuts for the topping, but I did have peanut brittle! I just crushed it up and put it on the top. This cake is so moist that you really don’t even need frosting. PERFECT with a cup of coffee or a glass of ice-cold milk.
Sue Gamble
July 3, 2020 at 12:40 pmHave you tried making layers instead of a sheet cake? It looks delicous!
Sue
July 3, 2020 at 2:56 pmIt’s such a dense moist cake that I think it does best in the flat pan, Sue. And definitely the pour-on frosting would be problematic for a layer cake.
Kinzie
June 25, 2020 at 12:27 pmCan I make the frosting and then let it cool and then reheat it in the microwave since I wanted to take the cake to work for a birthday amd wanted the frosting to be warm????? Will it still turn out ok????
Sue
June 25, 2020 at 2:19 pmI’m afraid I haven’t tried that so I can’t say, Kinzie.
Christina
June 22, 2020 at 2:53 pmAMAZING!
My husband and kiddos just devoured this cake. It truly did not stand a chance in our house. I’m taking it to our next family gathering!
Tina
June 20, 2020 at 3:48 pmI forgot to boil the frosting!!! I already put it on the cake!!! Do you think it will be okay???
Sue
June 20, 2020 at 4:12 pmThe flavor should still be good, it will just be somewhat runny!
Lauren Hughes
June 18, 2020 at 2:22 pmAfter reading so many amazing reviews for this recipe I’m going to give it a try for my grandmother’s 90th birthday! (A Peanut Butter Cake was her only request so I don’t want to let her down!) I’m wondering if you have any tips for making this into a round, layered cake? Presentation-wise, I’d love to put it on a round cake stand so it looks like a traditional birthday cake rather than in the sheer pan, but I’m sure the bake times would need to be tweaked and I’m not sure what size rounds I should use to attempt (or if I even should attempt with a few round stacks – I’m worried it might be a little too heavy to stack??) Any tips or suggestions would be SO appreciated!!
Sue
June 18, 2020 at 4:08 pmIt is a very moist heavy cake, so I can’t guarantee success as a layered cake Lauren, I wonder if any of the comments address this. I also think the frosting would be tricky to do on a layer cake, but maybe you’re thinking of using a different frosting. If I were you I’d stick to the sheet cake, I think it’s definitely birthday worthy!
Rikki S Clary
June 3, 2020 at 1:53 pmBEST peanut butter cake EVER!!! I’ve literally tried dozens of recipes trying to find the ultimate peanut butter sheet cake and I LOVE this one the most. It’s perfect..the cake is ultra moist the flavor is excellent my daughter will only eat this cake when it comes to peanut butter cake and she eats it with or without the icing it’s that good!! Thank you for sharing this is a keeper ???
Jeana
May 27, 2020 at 11:13 pmThanks so much for posting this recipe! I was looking for more of an old fashioned peanut butter cake recipe, like the school lunch ladies made back in the 70’s, and this is very close! Actually, I made this amazing cake about a month ago, and my Mister is convinced that I brought back his childhood..lol Either way, it’s so delicious, and who doesn’t love peanut butter fudge as frosting? You’re right, it’s dangerously easy to make. So dangerous, that I’m making it again this week! It’s a keeper, for sure! I’ll also be passing the recipe along to my adult daughter who likes to bake. Thanks again, and God Bless!!
Sue
May 28, 2020 at 6:47 amThanks Jeana, it looks like this will become a family classic in your house 🙂
Delia Keeley
May 18, 2020 at 11:42 pmHi Sue, please can you tell me where the chocolate comes in for the peanut butter cake? On reading the reviews chocolate is suddenly mentioned but I can not find any reference to chocolate in recipe. Thank you
Sue
May 19, 2020 at 7:38 amThere’s no chocolate in this recipe, maybe someone suggested doing it with a chocolate cake base.
Rose
May 17, 2020 at 7:09 amI really struggled with the frosting – I brought it to the boil, kept whisking it to make it smooth when I was adding the icing sugar and it eventually got smooth but it was so liquidy? poured it on the cake and it’s been ten minutes and not set yet 🙁
Sue
May 17, 2020 at 7:58 amSounds like yours needed a little more sugar Rose. It should soft set pretty quickly.
Tess
May 13, 2020 at 1:58 amHi Sue!
This recipe looks amazing and can’t wait to try it! However I’m from Amsterdam and here we don’t sweeten our peanutbutter. I know in the States pb is often sweet. You think I should put in extra sugar or honey or is it not necessary?
Thanks!
Sue
May 13, 2020 at 7:24 amI wouldn’t worry about that, although this cake isn’t overly sweet, so keep that in mind. The chocolate really adds the decadent factor 🙂
Tess
May 14, 2020 at 12:19 amThank you! I’ll have a go at it!
Sophia Turner
May 9, 2020 at 1:16 pmI loved this cake! I followed the recipe to a tea and it turned out perfect. I had to use my own butter milk recipe as I didn’t have any butter milk to hand and it still worked out brilliantly. The only downfall is next time I might have to half the recipe as i didn’t realise it’s a very big batch for a family of four.
Kelsey
May 5, 2020 at 11:14 amI followed the instructions to the T and my cake sunk in the middle. Also my oven must be hot because at 40 minutes the top was a little burnt. ?
Sue
May 21, 2020 at 5:56 pmIt does sound like an oven temperature issue Kelsy, I highly recommend getting an inexpensive oven thermometer, that way you always know for sure how hot your oven is.
Jenny
May 3, 2020 at 6:27 pmI’ve made a number of peanut butter cakes and this is to die for! No exaggeration either. I work in corrections and am known for bringing in treats. This is by far the most favorite of everyone.
Sue
May 3, 2020 at 8:03 pmI’m thrilled Jenny, what a lovely thing you’re doing!
Kim Gerrin
May 25, 2020 at 6:56 pmI also made this cake! WOW… loved it… so easy, just follow instructions… believe me, if I can do it ANYONE can! I made it for my daughter after I failed at keto peanut butter cookies !
Mike Aitken
April 13, 2020 at 6:12 pmAwesome recipe. We made it for dessert to o accompany Easter dinner! Thank you
Janice
April 6, 2020 at 1:54 pmLoved it!!! I’m one of those weird people who is not crazy about chocolate and everything peanut butter has chocolate, so saw this recipe and was so excited it was simple and fantastic my whole family loved it!
Sue
April 6, 2020 at 3:51 pmI never thought about peanut butter always coming with chocolate, but I guess you’re right. Glad you all loved this cake Janice.
Maria
April 4, 2020 at 2:58 pmThis was my first time making a cake from scratch and this was a very easy to follow recipe, everyone loved it. I don’t like peanut butter but it’s my husbands favorite so I made it for his birthday and I can’t stop eating it.
Teri Lyn
April 2, 2020 at 9:57 amHello Sue,
Might this yummy recipe be made gluten free without substituting all of the flour with 1:1 GF flour as Lynn did in August? Maybe you have an oat flour, almond flour or some combo recommendation up your sleeve? A thousand thanks!
Sue
May 21, 2020 at 5:55 pmI’m not sure but since it’s a moist sheet cake I think you should be able to play with the ratio of gf baking mix paired with almond flour or oat flour, or a combo.
Elizabeth Campos
March 27, 2020 at 2:01 pmI was hesitant to even try a new PB cake/bread recipe. Let me tell you though, I was beyond surprised at how amazing this cake turned out. I doubled the recipe and made one exactly as directed. The second cake, I changed the PB frosting to a chocolate ganache type frosting, topped with nuts 🙂
Best PB cakes ever! I am already receiving requests and it hasn’t even been 24 hours since I baked them! Thanks for the recipes! I look forward to others!
Sue
March 27, 2020 at 3:20 pmSo glad you loved this Elizabeth ~ you beat me to the chocolate ganache, I’ve got it planned for the blog!
Toni Clemente
March 16, 2020 at 12:42 pmDelicious..
Patti Alexander
March 11, 2020 at 7:40 amThe cake was thicker than I expected. Thicker than the picture looks. But not enough batter to make into a sheet cake. ???
Sue
March 11, 2020 at 8:56 amAll I can think of is that your measurements were a little off somehow. And remember this cake is baked in a 9×13 pan, not a sheet pan.
Sheryl Bogaards
March 10, 2020 at 6:30 pmSoooo Good! We ate the cake while it was warm, and it’s half gone.
Kylie
March 10, 2020 at 12:01 pmThis turned out AMAZING! Soo good!!! Thanks so much for sharing!!!!!
Stacey
March 6, 2020 at 12:37 pmI havent tried it yes but I tasted everything and the cake is rising well….Only thing I changed is crushing the peanuts on top for some of the folks eating it today have dentures…lol….great recipe and very easy…my kids i am a guessin will want chocolate syurp scattered on top or even reeses cups….all in all great recipe!
Sue
March 6, 2020 at 7:18 pmI’ve definitely got to incorporate some chocolate into this cake next time 🙂
kenny J martin
February 26, 2020 at 8:04 pmHi Sue anything with peanut butter and wow I`m loving it going to try everything with peanut butter.thanks for the recipe.
Sylvia Lint
February 25, 2020 at 11:01 amMy son and I love peanut butter. I want to try this for our yearly picnic that the town puts on. I usually make the pineapple cake. This year I want something different. Thanks for all your great recipes.
Sue
February 25, 2020 at 11:05 amHope everybody loves it Sylvia!!
Lonnie
April 3, 2020 at 11:57 amThe frosting was a bit tricky. First attempt and I guess I left on heat too long cause it broke and looked a mess. Threw it out. Second attempt I took it off once it was good and hot, but had not reached a boil. Tastes great, but worried it won’t “set” as it should. I looked at the video, hoping for a visual of how frosting should look when pulled from heat, but the video was truly useless.
Leslie
February 23, 2020 at 1:14 pmThis is a terrific recipe. I followed your directions exactly. Thank you for sharing it with us. Your recipes are always reliable, delicious, and easy to follow. I look forward to seeing more from you in my inbox.
Dodie King
February 19, 2020 at 9:52 pmCan I add a few chocolate chips to the cake batter? If so any special instructions? I want to make this for my sons birthday in March. I’ll give 5 stars even before I make it from the reviews and the look of the cake. Looks so yummy.
Renee Leighton
February 19, 2020 at 12:14 pmI did not see nutrition information? I ask because I am trying to stay under a certain amount of calories every day. (Not fun!) I assume there are no calories? Right? (Wouldn’t that be wonderful?)
Karen
February 17, 2020 at 6:48 amHi. I’m going to make this cake this week. Should I buy buttermilk or make it (milk & vinegar I think is the substitute recipe)? I’m going to the grocery either way but didn’t know if a substitute would ruin it. Thank you!
Sue
February 17, 2020 at 7:23 amI would get the real deal cultured buttermilk for this cake Karen.
Wendy
February 14, 2020 at 7:36 pmWhy doesn’t natural peanut butter work for this recipe? It sounds amazing and I love peanut butter but I’d rather use natural as that is my preferred type!
Sue
February 14, 2020 at 8:05 pmYou can use it if you like Wendy, but the oily nature of natural peanut butter isn’t my top choice for baking.
Janice
February 14, 2020 at 12:29 pmSo good and easy, added coarsely chopped peanuts into the frosting. Excellent.
Anita
February 8, 2020 at 9:18 amFamily favorite. My new daughter in law to be loves it so much she wants me to make it for her wedding. IDK…maybe shower or groom’s cake…lol. How can I adapt this to cupcakes maybe?
Sue
February 8, 2020 at 9:44 amI haven’t tried this cake in cupcake form, it’s pretty moist, so not sure how it would work. It would be worth a test since it’s such an important occasion.
Lexi
February 14, 2020 at 4:44 pmMaybe you could do the mini cupcakes! Better chance of cooking all the way through and easier to feed a crowd.
This recipe looks delicious, can’t wait to try!
Yvonne
February 7, 2020 at 6:38 pmI love this recipe. I had never tried peanut butter cake but my husband has talked about it for years. He could never find one that seemed like the one his late mother use to make. I seen this one and made it and have made it a lot since then. He says it reminds him of the one his mother made and for someone that never had one oh my gosh I’m 45 and where has this been all my life YUMMY and so easy to make. Thanks for the memories for my husband and a new treat for me!!!
Sue
February 7, 2020 at 6:59 pmI love this comment Yvonne, thanks 🙂 I love sharing old time type recipes that need to be revived.
Shannon Vasquez
February 7, 2020 at 8:28 amI made this yesterday looking for a change from peanut butter cookies. It was so good we ate almost half… BEFORE dinner!! Love this idea for frosting. The entire recipe is easy, quick and not stressful at all! I’d say anyone should try it!! Thank you and keep it up! Your hard work is appreciated.
Thank you!
Shannon.
Sue
February 7, 2020 at 8:44 amThanks Shannon!
Candy
February 4, 2020 at 10:14 amFantastic!!! Can not thank you enough for this great recipe.
Vicki
February 2, 2020 at 11:06 amOhhh man this was a good cake!! I say WAS cuz its almost gone!! Easy and different. If you like peanut butter this is touchdown! I halved the recipe and used a 8×8 pan..still perfect if you have a small crowd!
Cathy
January 26, 2020 at 5:45 pmThis cake is down right DELICIOUS! I had everything in my pantry to make this today, so no special trips to the grocery store. It was so simple to make… creaming butter and sugar for scratch made cakes can be the pits at times, I was so happy for a change. This reminds me of the peanut butter cake that was served at my childhood school, but this one is so much better. If anyone reading reviews is on the fence about making this cake… Get in the kitchen now and make this cake. You will not be disappointed!
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it is for sure a keeper in my rotation.
Sue
January 26, 2020 at 7:01 pmWow Cathy, thanks for the great feedback!
Patty
January 23, 2020 at 2:24 pmMy father-in-law always referenced “The old fashion” peanut butter cake with peanut butter frosting and how nobody ever made it anymore. I ended up needing to make a cake for a funeral at our small church and this is the cake I made. I made sure he had a piece of it and he gave his approval (as did many other people attending the funeral). So easy to make and the taste is wonderful! I will be making it again, as will many others who now have the recipe!
Kim
January 17, 2020 at 6:49 amThis recipe makes the best peanut butter cake i have ever had nice and fluffy cake. Thank you..
krysta Wolfangel
January 15, 2020 at 6:33 pmIt has been a year since I made this cake for the first time for my dads birthday. His birthday was again this week and it is the cake he wanted again! It is called “that famous peanut butter cake” around here….and we ALL know what which cake that is! This cake! Other peanut butter cakes call for half the amount of oil/butter and that may still make a good cake. BUT this cake…this cake is so moist ….gaga goo goo! So good! Insane! So good. I make a peanut butter butter cream with it. I have tried natural peanut butter but the cake requires store bought peanut butter…less oily.
Sue
January 15, 2020 at 7:03 pmHahah, thanks for the chuckle Krystal 🙂
Michelle
January 16, 2020 at 10:00 amIt’s my daddy’s 76 bday !
I think I’m going to try this 😉
Blessings
Michelle (Shell)
Sue
January 16, 2020 at 10:48 amMy dad will be 90 this April, maybe I should make it for him!
Michelle karrer
January 16, 2020 at 11:58 pmI made it !
It was fabulous ! Even though I accidentally used all purpose flour as well , I put in salt and baking soda —
Dad gave it a 10!!
Anastasia
February 13, 2020 at 12:24 pmDid you use the oil the recipe called for when you used natural peanut butter? Do you think it would help to cut the oil from the recipe?
Debbie
January 11, 2020 at 2:11 pmOk, this cake is simply delish…….
Sue
January 11, 2020 at 2:54 pm🙂
Love2bake
January 2, 2020 at 5:10 pmHi! This sounds uh-mazing. My Grama used to make my Poppy peanut butter cake every year on his birthday.
Question: why do you not recommend natural peanut butter? I don’t like added sugar/palm oil etc in my peanut butter.
Thanks for sharing. I look forward to trying this.
Sue
January 2, 2020 at 8:47 pmI prefer the regular peanut butter because it has a uniform texture, the natural is somewhat oily, but feel free to use it if you like, just stir well!
Patti
December 31, 2019 at 3:47 pmPerfect! And no need to adapt for high altitude. Followed the recipe as written…not too sweet and nice amount of peanutbutter flavor! A hit!
cowboy
December 25, 2019 at 6:16 ampouring warm liquid over cake seems like it would make cake soggy?
Sue
December 25, 2019 at 7:08 amThe frosting sets up almost immediately, so no worries. But this cake is super moist, in a good way!
Chloe
December 20, 2019 at 7:40 amI have made this cake a couple of times in a 9×13 and it sure is delicious but was wondering can I make it in a Bundt pan? Do you think I need to change anything besides bake times?
Sue
December 20, 2019 at 8:34 amIt’s a very moist cake and frankly I don’t think it’s a good candidate for a bundt pan, Chloe, I think you’d have trouble getting it out in once piece.
Jo Ann Goins
December 19, 2019 at 9:14 amMaking this today, can’t wait to try it, thanks for sharing
Kimberly Thompson
November 27, 2019 at 8:08 amHi Sue, my cake is currently in the oven! I’m making it for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Do I need to keep the cake refrigerated or not? Thank you!
Sue
November 27, 2019 at 9:39 amI think you can go either way Kimberly, I think it will be fine at room temp for a day if you prefer.
Joan
December 7, 2019 at 5:22 pmMade this cake today. It was a breeze to follow the directions. Next time I make it, thinking of waiting on making the frosting until the cake is out of the oven and cooling. This cake is going to be a birthday cake that my niece is serving her boyfriend and family. It looks and smells great. So Happy that she had me make this , will be making it again. Thank you!
Sue
December 7, 2019 at 5:47 pmGlad you made it Joan, and yes, the timing of the frosting is tricky because you want it hot a pourable, I think you’ve got a good idea.
Katie
November 15, 2019 at 1:44 pmI just made this cake, it turned out better than I hoped for. I believe this is the first icing recipe that turned out exactly like it was supposed to. I will definitely make this a gain………….Thanks so much …….delicious !!
Michelle
November 15, 2019 at 10:12 amThis cake is SO yummy. Moist and easy!! A huge success with my co workers. Thanks!
Crystal
November 9, 2019 at 8:02 amThis looks amazing! I’m going to make it today. How much baking soda and buttermilk? In the recipe it says 0 tsp and 0 tbsp. Was that a typo?
Sue
November 9, 2019 at 8:05 amI’m not sure why you’re not seeing the amounts, Crystal, they’re there…it’s 1 tsp of baking soda, and 1/2 cup of buttermilk. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Eva Peters
November 8, 2019 at 2:34 pmJust discovered your website yesterday, and I baked this cake today. I’ve gotta say, it is AWESOME!!!! Super moist, rich (without being too sweet), with loads of peanut butter flavor. Hubby’s comment was “Gosh, this is delicious!” Needless to say, this recipe is definitely going in my “keeper” file. Thanks so much for sharing this easy-peasy delish recipe—can’t wait to try some of the others you have here.
Sue
November 8, 2019 at 3:37 pmYay Eva, so glad to have you with us!
Theresa
November 6, 2019 at 6:21 amHad to leave a comment. This is probably the best cake I’ve ever tasted. keep up the good work, and thanks!
Sue
November 6, 2019 at 6:35 amOh thanks Theresa, I’m glad you loved it!
Annie
October 2, 2019 at 8:15 amWow, this cake turned out sooo good! It is so moist and delicious. I made it for my husband’s birthday, and he loved it!
Sue
October 2, 2019 at 8:23 amI’ve heard from so many people who have used this as a birthday cake ~ glad it was a hit!
Alisha Fecteau
August 27, 2019 at 6:25 pmI just made this cake and it is scary how good it is, not exaggerating. I did not have peanuts so i added salt to the icing and it did the trick. I can not wait to rule the bake sale with this one. It actually makes a smooth, pretty glazed cake with a peanut butter color. The smell in the kitchen is also heavenly.
Sue
August 28, 2019 at 6:13 amThanks Alisha, this one is a winner for sure!
Lynn
August 12, 2019 at 4:41 amLove so many of your recipes! This one is a keeper! I made it gluten-free/dairy free and it was still a hit! This is a very forgiving recipe.
I used GF all purpose flour, vegan butter, oat milk- it was yummy! Took it to a family party and young and old folks loved it- The only dessert without leftovers! Also, took your Rainbow Bean Salad and of course we enjoyed the flavors! Thanks!
Sue
August 12, 2019 at 7:42 amIt’s amazing that you could transform this into a gf and dairy free treat, love that.
Laurie
July 30, 2019 at 9:48 amI made this cake for the 1st time yesterday, for my husband’s birthday. I don’t even like peanut butter cake – or at least I didn’t until this. This cake is amazing! It turned out exactly as you described it and everyone loved it. My 18 year old son described it as “world class”. I am now a fan of peanut butter cake!
Sue
July 30, 2019 at 10:16 amHaha, I hear this all the time, even those who don’t like peanut butter cake go for this one! Glad the family loved it and glad I could make another convert 🙂
Olga
July 30, 2019 at 8:31 amHi Sue – will the recipe work without the buttermilk? Can regular milk be substituted?
Sue
July 30, 2019 at 9:23 amYes, or half and half, or even cream if you want to be luxurious.
Berni
July 30, 2019 at 8:19 amThis truly is the favorite in my family, best cake ever!!!
Sue
July 30, 2019 at 9:23 amAwwwwww, blushing here 🙂
Sandy
June 26, 2019 at 3:21 pmDefinitely a great recipe. I left out the peanuts on top, used natural peanut butter for the cake and added peanut butter chips.. oh boy do I love the frosting for sure, best peanut butter frosting ever!!
Sue
June 26, 2019 at 8:12 pmI could scarf it down with a (big) spoon!
Andrea Frost
June 20, 2019 at 8:34 pmHi, I need to make a 6”, 3 layer “smash cake” and they want a peanut butter cake. This cake looks great, but like other I’ve seen says use a sheet pan. Is there a reason not to use layer cake pans?
Thank you
Sue
June 20, 2019 at 9:18 pmNo, you can definitely make this in 2 or 3 layer cake pans, just watch your cooking time…
Julie
October 31, 2019 at 7:41 amShould I make extra frosting if I made a 3 layer cake?
Sue
October 31, 2019 at 7:44 amI’m not sure, it depends on how you want to arrange it, maybe you’d put a thin layer between the layers, and then drizzle the rest over the top. You can never go wrong making extra frosting, though, then you won’t get caught short. Remember this sets up really fast.
Nancy
June 19, 2019 at 8:24 pmI’m not a big cake fan but his cake is the best I’ve ever eaten! And my son, who doesn’t care for peanut butter too much, loves it, too! I use all brown sugar in place of the sugar. Very easy to make, too! I’m baking one right now for my sisters. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Sue
June 20, 2019 at 9:40 amYou’re so welcome Nancy, I’m glad it was a hit!
Ashley
June 18, 2019 at 1:59 pmHello! How well does this freeze??
Sue
June 18, 2019 at 4:10 pmI haven’t tried to freeze this cake so I’m not sure, sorry!
Tatiana
June 11, 2019 at 1:10 pmHi Sue, what do you mean by “not natural “ peanut butter?
Sue
June 11, 2019 at 1:57 pmI mean that natural peanut butters, the ones that separate and you have to stir them together before using, don’t work as well as a classic homogenized pb like Jiff or Skippy. This is just because of the texture difference.
Paula
May 19, 2019 at 2:25 pmHi Sue, I’m in the UK so am a bit unsure of cup measurements. Do you have the quantities in grammes? This cake looks lovely! Thank you! Paula
Priscilla
July 16, 2019 at 4:41 pmHi Paula …
I lived in the UK for a few years… this is the substitute chart I used for measuring cups to grams:
Flour. 1 cup = 140 grms or 5 oz.
Sugar: 1 cup = 225 grms or 8 oz.
2 Tablespoons = 25 grms or 1 oz.
brown sugar: 1 cup = 170 grms or 6 oz.
Butter: 1 cup = 225 grms or 8 oz.
2 Tablespoons = 25 grms or 1 oz.
I found a larger chart on the internet under “Cooking Conversions” US to UK!
Never give up!?
leatrice gulbransen
May 3, 2019 at 1:37 pmHi. Not sure if anyone’s asked this but can we add a bit more peanut butter ? Just to give it that extra peanut butter punch ? Haven’t tried it yet and wanted some opinions before I do. Thanks !
Priscilla
July 16, 2019 at 4:39 pmHi Latrice…
I lived in the UK for a few years… this is the substitute chart I used for measuring cups to grams:
Flour. 1 cup = 140 grms or 5 oz.
Sugar: 1 cup = 225 grms or 8 oz.
2 Tablespoons = 25 grms or 1 oz.
brown sugar: 1 cup = 170 grms or 6 oz.
Butter: 1 cup = 225 grms or 8 oz.
2 Tablespoons = 25 grms or 1 oz.
I found a larger chart on the internet under “Cooking Conversions” US to UK!
Never give up!?
SANDRA
July 27, 2019 at 11:08 amDONT KNOW MINE ONLY LASTED 2 HOURS LEFT OUT THEN IT WAS GONE. MAYBE I WILL TRY AND HIDE IT IN THE ICE BOX NEXT TIME
Lacey
April 20, 2019 at 8:19 pmDoes it need to be refrigerated
Sue
April 20, 2019 at 9:04 pmIt can sit out on the counter for a couple of days at room temperature, no problem…
Bailey
April 20, 2019 at 5:10 pmExcellent cake. Used a half sheet jelly roll pan for potluck lunch. Cake came out thin and held its shape (don’t want a crumbly cake at a potluck) with a nice thin, crackly frosting. Browned the butter for the cake, dry roasted the garnish peanuts a little more and mixed with 1 TB butter to up the decadence factor (although probably overkill), and sprinkled the frosting before it set with Maldon salt. Definite keeper.
Sue
April 20, 2019 at 5:30 pmYum, I bet it was a hit!
SVT
April 13, 2019 at 1:13 amI have to thank you so much for this recipe! The cake is so moist and tasty, it was an easy new favorite for everyone. My friend usually really only eats cake for the icing, but I made her some mini-peanut-butter-cakes for her birthday, and she LOVED them. She told me for the first time in her life, she actually likes a cake more than the icing. She ate a whole mini cake (which, for a mini cake, was honestly pretty big) in one day and wouldn’t even let her husband taste it. Now everytime I see her, she always looks around and gets disappointed when I don’t bring her cake, lol. And my mom ONLY does chocolate, so she got “mad” at me when I made this (I evened the cakes for my friend and shared the cake tops with my family) and she liked it so much. She said to definitely save the recipe.
I’m a little afraid to make these again in case I do something and they’re not as good as the first time, but this recipe is definitely a winner!
Sue
April 13, 2019 at 7:22 amI’m thrilled for you SVT ~ looks like you’ll be known for this cake for quite some time! Better memorize the recipe 😉
Danielle
March 31, 2019 at 7:11 pmKinda a stupid question but anyway can u make this a round cake and make it two layers
Sue
March 31, 2019 at 7:40 pmNot stupid at all, and I’m sure you can do it in layers, just be careful turning it out, because it is moist and delicate.
Anastasia
February 13, 2020 at 12:32 pmI guess with the icing it wouldn’t work so well with cupcakes?
Sue
February 13, 2020 at 1:37 pmProbably not, since it would tend to run off.
SVT
April 13, 2019 at 1:09 amI halved the recipe to make some mini cakes for my friend’s birthday. I made them in mini circular cake pans and cut them in half for more frosting (as that’s typically the part of a cake my friend likes best) and it worked fine, but I’m sure the cakes being smaller made the cutting and stacking a little bit easier.
Lauren
March 30, 2019 at 12:56 pmI only have natural PB in the house and need to make this right away. Will it totally mess everything up?
Sue
March 30, 2019 at 1:16 pmJust be sure to stir it really well so all the oil gets incorporated Lauren 🙂
Christine Jefferies
March 29, 2019 at 6:14 pmJust made this cake tonight because I already had some peanut butter frosting. Just warmed it back up and poured it over the cake. It’s delicious! Couldn’t even wait for the cake to cool to try some. It’s great warm. Can’t wait to see what it taste like at room temp. tomorrow. I did use half brown sugar and half white sugar and I also used milk instead of the water. Love it!
Sue
March 29, 2019 at 6:58 pmCooling is so over-rated 😉
Christine L. Jefferies
March 31, 2019 at 6:39 pmI seriously can’t stop thinking about this cake. I’m not sure if I should thank you for this recipe or not. Ha! I tried turning some of the left over pieces (can’t believe we still have leftovers) into a “Reese’s Cake” by adding chocolate ganache on top of the peanut butter frosting and then chopped Reese’s cups on top. Woah! Delicious! Both the original and the souped up version are winners!
Tonie
March 29, 2019 at 2:56 amHas anyone doubled the recipe and made a two layered version? I’m making it for work and they’re crazy for peanut butter so I’d like to make a two layered cake.
Leslie
March 24, 2019 at 9:19 pmI made this cake today. It might be the best thing I have ever baked. To those who asked about making cupcakes, something came up, so I made the frosting while the cake baked. The cake and frosting cooled for 45 minutes. I rebeat the cooled frosting a bit to loosen it up. It was a good consistency for cupcakes at that point. This cake is special. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Sue
March 25, 2019 at 6:41 amThanks for the tip about the frosting Leslie 🙂
Serena
April 20, 2019 at 8:26 pmMade this cake for my family and now it’s at every gathering thank you so much
Debbie
March 18, 2019 at 1:27 pmIt’s a delious cake.the only thing that I would change is the amount of powdered sugar in the frosting,because it is too sweet ,so maybe 2 cups????
Sue
March 18, 2019 at 1:32 pmFeel free to adjust that to your taste Debbie…you may need less liquid in that case.
gaelle
March 11, 2019 at 10:02 pmI didn’t add oil and I add a little bit more of peanut butter, it was DELICIOUS. Love it, thank you !!!
Sue
March 12, 2019 at 1:02 pmYou’re so welcome.
Patricia Brumley
March 6, 2019 at 5:37 pmI had a question regarding the pan size you used. The pictures and recipe indicate it is indeed a sheetcake however the recipe also calls for a 9 × 13. I’m so excited to make this cake!!!!!
Sue
March 6, 2019 at 6:00 pmIt’s a 9×13 Patricia, I think sheet cake is a loose term that can be used for several different pan sizes. Hope you love it!
Michelle Dexter-Zambrano
March 5, 2019 at 2:58 pmI just snuck a bite after making it for hubby’s birthday… OMG SOOOOO DELICIOUS!! thanks for the recipe
Sue
March 5, 2019 at 4:12 pmSnuck bites are always the best!
karen wilmoth
March 5, 2019 at 6:06 amI made the peanut butter cake last night. It is very moist even this morning! I used crunchy peanut cake for batter. The icing tastes just like peanut butter fudge my grandmother made from a cookbook complied by N Y herald Tribune in 1930’s. Also I chopped the peanuts that I put over the icing.
Sarah
March 3, 2019 at 1:49 pmI made this cake yesterday (recipe as is) and it was too sweet that no one in my family could handle it. So I tried it again today and changed some things… I cut the sugar by half, and also used brown sugar and white sugar mixed…so 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar. Instead of 1 cup water, I used 1 cup regular milk which seems like a no brainer to me, but I don’t know all the rules of baking, as I’m just learning by kinda teaching myself) but the idea of putting water in a cake mix does sound as good as milk does so I gave it a try. And by the way, I looked up many peanut butter cake recipes and it seems that most of them use water, I don’t understand why… I just don’t get it, but anyway, I used milk and it turned out great! Also, just for fun I threw in 2 packages of instant oatmeal, and last I skipped the icing altogether because that was ridiculously sweet it just made me feel sick. Instead I used a cinnamon brown sugar crumb topping and that was the perfect touch…not too sweet and a little crunch on top. Thank you for your recipe, it was a great base for me to fine tune to my family’s liking.
Sarah
March 3, 2019 at 10:34 amWhat would happen if i used milk instead of water?
Sue
March 3, 2019 at 11:06 amI haven’t tried but I’m sure you could.
Sarah
March 1, 2019 at 3:31 pmI am new to baking cakes, but the idea of adding water doesn’t seem appealing, so I’m wondering if you could just add more buttermilk or oil if it need more wet…or does the water serve a purpose?
Sue
March 1, 2019 at 3:48 pmThis particular cake has a thin batter, and the water helps balance out the thick peanut butter. The balance is just right, so I’d stick with the water and not substitute oil or buttermilk.
Kim
February 27, 2019 at 3:48 pmThis cake is excellent,easy to make, and very moist!
What kind of flour did you use bleach or unbleach?
Thank you, Kim
Sue
February 27, 2019 at 4:01 pmI usually buy unbleached flour. Glad you liked it Kim 🙂
Jean Cason
April 15, 2020 at 6:56 amThe water, buttermilk and baking soda gives all cakes very moist and not dry and crumbly. If using regular cake pans for a stacked cake, put waxed paper in the bottom of your pans. Let cakes cool about ten minutes before turning onto plates and it won’t tear up. A little advise from a 75 yo cook?
Melissa Canoles
February 22, 2019 at 2:36 pmHi! What would be the best way to store this cake if I am making it the night before? Thanks!
Sue
February 22, 2019 at 2:39 pmI would store it loosely covered on the counter.
Jenn
January 24, 2019 at 2:25 pmSo excited to try this cake! Just wondering after reading some comments. Should I throw it in the freezer for an hour after baking, and if so is that before or after the frosting gets applied? Thanks.
Sue
January 24, 2019 at 5:36 pmI don’t put the cake in the freezer at all Jenn, in fact you need to pour the hot frosting over the cake while it is still warm.
Uco main
January 15, 2019 at 4:07 pmcan you make this in a larger pan? (Like a cake mold)
Sue
January 15, 2019 at 4:46 pmDo you mean a bundt pan, or something similar? I haven’t tried that but I think it should work.
Donna Baxter
January 14, 2019 at 3:52 amCan this cake freeze well with the frosting?
krysta Wolfangel
January 13, 2019 at 9:11 amI am writing this review because this cake is very good as is! If you change nothing, you Wil be happy! However, after a few test runs (3), I realize a few minor changes make the cake *subjectively* better.
I made this cake for my dad’s 66th birthday. I made 3 “very very mini” test batches in the days before. The moistest cake was achieved with all brown sugar, heaping measurements of peanut butter and flipping the amounts of water and buttermilk. The flour was measured with the “spoon and sweep method”.
The cake was removed from the oven when a fork inserted in the center was moist (not dough, but moisture). I then put the whole cake in the freezer immediately to cool it down completely, about an hour. Anyway, the cake is moist and while the peanut butter flavor is mild, the cake wa’ll is perfect paired with peanut butter buttercream. Yum!
Sue
January 13, 2019 at 10:39 amThanks Krysta ~ I’ve done that freezer method with cakes before, it’s an interesting one!
Joyce
January 6, 2019 at 10:14 amThis is the second best cake that I have ever eaten. The best is a 5 ingredient chocolate flourless cake. I left off the peanuts but thought that peanuts would be good in the frosting. I was thinking that adding chopped peanuts in the frosting would be good, but then ,I thought that the saltiness of the peanuts on the top when sprinkled on top would be a great surprise for the palate. This cake recipe is definately a keeper.
Sue
January 6, 2019 at 10:24 amThanks so much for coming back to let us know Joyce! Now I need that flourless cake recipe!!
Stephanie Carter
December 27, 2018 at 7:35 amI made this cake on Christmas Day, 2 days ago, and it is still as moist & delicious as it was the 1st day! My kids and I are so in love with it. I’m going to make it for my crush at work. Cast the love spell lol
Sue
December 27, 2018 at 8:44 amGood luck <3
Nikki
December 22, 2018 at 1:32 pmAfter the cake is done, if I don’t plan on serving for a few hours… Should I refrigerate or just keep out at room temperature?
Sue
December 22, 2018 at 1:52 pmI’d leave it out Nikki.
Nikki
December 21, 2018 at 9:55 amDo you have to sift the powdered sugar?
Sue
December 21, 2018 at 10:40 amI like to sift it because I don’t want little lumps in the frosting, but it’s not absolutely required.
cyrine
December 21, 2018 at 12:20 amCan I use home made peanuts butter ?
Sue
December 21, 2018 at 7:14 amYes, that would be delicious.
Rebecca Shideler
December 20, 2018 at 10:35 amSue, this looks delicious and I think it would be devoured by my peanut butter-loving family. The recipe calls for roasted peanuts for garnish over the frosting. Can you tell me exactly what I’m looking for? Are they canned? Cocktail peanuts? Spanish peanuts? What do you recommend? Thanks for the recipe and thanks for your recommendation.
Sue
December 20, 2018 at 11:18 amI used the canned type, because I like the little bit of salt. Cocktail or Spanish would work.
Lyn
December 19, 2018 at 6:53 pmI found your recipe today while looking for a cake recipe for my peanut butter lovin’ husband, and he loved it! Your recipe will definitely be a keeper for us. I did take a cue from others who suggested cutting back on the sugar. I used 1 and 1/2 cups and it is still very sweet. I also used crunchy peanut butter I had on hand for the batter and frosting and left off the peanuts. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Sue
December 19, 2018 at 7:15 pmThanks for the feedback Lyn, I guess I should try it with less sugar next time. The crunchy peanut butter sounds good too!
Sean Brooks
November 28, 2018 at 7:19 pmReally stoked about this! My girlfriend loves PB cake and so for her birthday I layered this on top of a whole pan of dark chocolate brownies, doubled the icing and used half for filling after mixing in some PB and chocolate chips. Awesome recipe!
Sue
November 28, 2018 at 7:42 pmWhaaaat? Did you save me a piece??
Lisa
November 22, 2018 at 5:03 amThis has become our new family favorite. Peanut Butter Cake (stacked and only peanut butter frosting) was always a staple for birthdays and get togethers…loved by some but not all….this recipe has changed the mind of everyone about peanut butter cake….goes quick, you better get a piece NOW,
Sue
November 22, 2018 at 7:09 amI love that this cake has become a tradition in so many readers’ lives!
gerry
November 21, 2018 at 5:36 pmI never bake but I made this for my sons birthday and my whole family thinks it may be the best cake they ever ate We are die-hard peanut butter fans so perhaps we are biased-but regardless the cake was divine! The frosting is so good-like a peanut butter caramel.
Thanks for a great recipe!
Sue
November 22, 2018 at 4:20 amI’m thrilled that this cake got you baking Gerry! And I love your description of that frosting, makes me want to make this cake right now 🙂
Babs
November 7, 2018 at 7:01 amOh my gracious! Thank goodness for Google. I was home on a Sunday morning when I remembered a coworkers birthday. He, like my son, is a peanut butter lover. I decided to try my luck at finding a new recipe and stumbled across this one. I had all of the ingredients at home, the reviews looked good so I thought I’d give it a try. This was a HUGE hit. Everyone loved it and made sure I saved this recipe for future events. Hardest part of the entire process was sifting the 3 cups of powdered sugar (probably had something to do with my tendonitis). LOL! Thank you so much for sharing. YUM-O!!
Sue
November 7, 2018 at 7:07 amThank you Babs for coming back to leave this glowing review…you’ve made me hungry for peanut butter cake and it’s only 7 am 🙂
Diane
November 4, 2018 at 6:32 pmSue, I made your old fashion peanut butter cake for my son’s birthday. Everyone loved it. It was wonderful. I wanted to know if you make a 9 by 13 inch carrot cake? Please send me the recipe. Thanks so very much. Again thanks Diane
Sue
November 4, 2018 at 7:24 pmGosh I don’t Diane, but that should definitely be at the top of my to do list. I’ll probably have to fit it in after the holidays, maybe even closer to spring, but I’ll definitely do it 🙂
Jaime Greenlaw
November 2, 2018 at 7:33 amMy husband’s favorite cake is a peanut butter cake, for years and years on his birthday I have chosen a random recipe from the internet and not once been happy with what I ended up with. Well my years of searching are over!! This recipe has been printed and added to our family recipe binder!! I can’t say enough how wonderful this cake is. The cake is moist and delicious. The salty peanuts on top are the perfect compliment to the sweetness of the frosting…we will make it again and again!
Sue
November 2, 2018 at 8:46 amI couldn’t be more thrilled!
Rena Pruett
October 30, 2018 at 7:48 amI finally got around to making this cake. What can I say, it was DELICIOUS! I took it to work with me and I will say that it did not last very long. The cake was so moist, not too sweet but just right. It was definitely a hit with the crew!
Sue
October 30, 2018 at 8:25 amThe crew might just demand this on a regular basis! Thanks for coming back to let me know Rena 🙂
Celine Phang
October 20, 2018 at 6:56 pmI had some chunky peanut butter and yogurt that were about to expire, looked for help to use them up, and ended up here. The result was a moist, soft and utterly delicious cake even though I’m not really a big PB fan. Reduced the sugar by half and omitted the frosting, and am very pleased with the result. In fact, the sweetness was just perfect for me and my family after reducing the sugar.
Thank you!
Kim
October 13, 2018 at 11:23 pmWhy no natural PB? Does it effect the finished cake? Is it OK to use for the icing? Thanks!!
Sue
October 15, 2018 at 6:10 amI only avoid the natural pb because it tends to be more oily than the regular, and is a bit more unreliable in baking, but you can use it if you like.
Layla
October 9, 2018 at 2:03 pmI just tried this recipe! So yummy! Very moist and fluffy. It’s very hard to find buttermilk in Brazil, specially where I live. So I used regular whole milk yogurt instead to make the batter. I did not make the frosting because I like naked cakes better. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe. It’s now part of my family’s recipe book. Abraços!
Sue
October 9, 2018 at 3:06 pmYou’re so welcome Layla, and I’m glad you enjoyed it even without the frosting!
Diane
September 30, 2018 at 11:51 pmSue, can I make the old fashion peanut butter cake the night before and serve it the next day? Should I refrigerate or leave out?
Thanks Diane
Sue
October 19, 2018 at 10:54 amI would just leave it out, covered with foil, Diane.
Tina
August 27, 2018 at 6:11 pmCan u make a two or three tier cake with this recipe?
Sue
August 27, 2018 at 6:26 pmIt’s a very moist cake, but I think you could make a 2 layer cake.
Clare Lumsden
August 19, 2018 at 12:27 amHands down, this is the BEST bake that I have ever made! Perfect balance of salty sweet crunchy buttery… Recipe is also very forgiving. I am British and got confused about cups/sticks as I prefer metric, and I have even made it quite successfully using almost twice as much butter as I am supposed to. I bake for a small cafe and this bake is always one of the fastest to sell out. Thank you so much Sue!
Sue
August 19, 2018 at 8:02 amA best seller? Wow, that’s amazing. Now you’ve got me craving a piece.
sandra
October 15, 2018 at 12:29 pmcan you use regular milk instead of buttermilk???
Sue
October 15, 2018 at 1:21 pmYes, that should work fine.
Leigh Howard
December 28, 2018 at 2:30 amWell I have a question and I would love to make this cakeand I am needing to know if i can make a two layer rounds with this frosting . I have a lady who wants a old fashioned peanut butter cake with this type of frosting for her soon to be husband. She wants round cake not the sheet cake style.
Sue
December 28, 2018 at 7:56 amYou can make the cake in round pans, but the frosting would be tricky because it’s pourable, and then hardens as it sits on the cake, so I’m not sure how that would work on a layer cake. You might look up a different peanut butter frosting for your cake, Leigh.
Lallen
August 16, 2018 at 10:32 amVery yummy cake and smells terrific cooking. I’ve made this twice. Both times the batter was very runny and I had to bake longer to get it done and still seemed somewhat undercooked .There is a very high liquid to solid ratio for a cake. Next time I am going to reduce the water and see if that helps without affecting the moistness. The cooked icing is 5 star!
Sue
August 16, 2018 at 1:01 pmThis is a moist cake Lallen, but if it’s too moist for you I think a little less water will help. Let us know!
Tara
August 13, 2018 at 1:06 pmI just made this cake and my family loves it, even went back for seconds in the same day. This cake reminded me of when I was in Elementary School a looooong time ago and used to get school lunches. I haven’t seen or had a peanut butter cake since. I have had this recipe open to remind me to make it. So delicious and moist.
Sue
August 13, 2018 at 1:16 pmI’m so glad you made this cake Tara, I sometimes have recipes lying around for years before I actually get around to making them 😉
Deb Snyder
July 30, 2018 at 8:17 amWhat could I use in place of the buttermilk. I don’t usually have that on hand. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks, in advance.
Deb Snyder
Sue
July 30, 2018 at 8:20 amYou can substitute any milk for the buttermilk, Deb, it should be fine.
JACQUI STEVENSON
August 13, 2018 at 8:06 amCan u give me quantities in lbs and loss instead of cups please from NI we don’t tend to measure in cups
Sue
August 13, 2018 at 8:17 amHi Jacqui ~ I don’t have that info for this recipe but you can plug in the ingredients to this converter http://www.onlineconversion.com/weight_volume_cooking.htm) to get that. Hopefully I will be able to provide both measurements in the future, I’m working on that.
Monica
July 20, 2018 at 12:31 pmThere’s a note with the buttermilk in the cake ingredients advising that you may need a touch more if your “frosting” is too stiff. Should this note be with the frosting, and not the cake ingredients?
Sue
July 20, 2018 at 12:39 pmthank you 🙂 fixed.
Coleen
July 13, 2018 at 2:59 pmI wanted to try this before using it for a big group, made an 11″x7″ pan and halved the recipe. All I can say is YUM, I loved the batter (of course I taste test batters) and I am eating hot cake right now, couldn’t wait. How have I missed this all my peanut butter loving life?!
Sue
July 13, 2018 at 3:05 pmHaha, I’m all for giving recipes a ‘test run’ Coleen, enjoy!
Coleen
July 21, 2018 at 7:55 pmWhomever said to refrigerate it was right, that’s great. I also tried an even more decadent option, 1/2 cake in the full size pan plus normal frosting, about a 1:1 ratio, OMG
Sue
July 21, 2018 at 9:33 pmyum…
Amy
July 6, 2018 at 9:38 amCan you do this for cupcakes? If so, 12 or 24? Also, I use all natural peanut butter without sugar, should I add extra sugar to be safe?
Sue
July 6, 2018 at 9:57 amI think this should work for cupcakes, Amy, and it will make 24, I’m guessing, but watch the cooking time. No need to add extra sugar if you use natural pb.
Amy
July 6, 2018 at 10:21 amThank you so much! I’ll let you know the results with timing!
Judith A Griffiths
July 5, 2018 at 7:04 pmI made the cake yesterday for 4th of July dinner. It was fabulous. Followed recipe exactly, baked it in glass 9×13 pan for 40 minutes, and it came out of the oven looking scrumptious. Wow, what a great recipe. Thanks so much.
DeAn Eddy
July 4, 2018 at 10:48 pmI made this cake today for a 4th of July party and it had great reviews! I made it in a cookie sheet with sides like a sheet cake. I think I’ll adjust the measurements a little to make more batter for both the cake and the frosting. Any suggestions if you’ve already done that? What would you say is the cook time. I did 35 min and it was too long.
Charlotte
June 30, 2018 at 4:47 amI made this last week and it was great. I really like all your recipes but some are over the top.
Sue
June 30, 2018 at 5:50 amThanks Charlotte, I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
Susan
June 28, 2018 at 4:50 pmDoes the cake need to be refrigerated?
Sue
June 28, 2018 at 6:19 pmI tend to leave cakes out for a day or two, and then refrigerate.
Berni
June 28, 2018 at 1:05 pmGuess what I’m making tonight for a birthday here are work tomorrow? Yes, they all want the peanut butter cake!
Sue
June 28, 2018 at 2:33 pmHaha, you’re becoming famous for it Berni!
Marj
June 26, 2018 at 9:50 amSue – You must stop posting that Peanut Butter Cake recipe! I’m salivating over it and haven’t made it yet because we are in hot summer weather here and I don’t want to heat the house! It looks amazing!
Oh. by the way…I’ve made the Bourbon meatballs several times and they are a smashing hit each time with family members and shower guests! Mmmm-mmm! ….Marj.
Sue
June 26, 2018 at 12:24 pmSorry to tempt you Marj!
Berni
June 25, 2018 at 6:51 amI have been told, by my family, not to show up at 4th of July outing without this cake. Yep.
Sue
June 25, 2018 at 7:32 amLOVE it 🙂 Have a wonderful holiday Berni.
Sue
June 25, 2018 at 3:52 pmI used your line in my facebook posts today 🙂
Gloria Smeltzer
June 23, 2018 at 6:11 pmDo refrigerate this cake after its done
Sue
June 25, 2018 at 3:53 pmI love the texture of the frosting when it’s refrigerated.
Liz
June 23, 2018 at 10:11 amCan we use just regular milk ? I never have any other use for buttermilk and our store just carries the quart size.
Niaomi
June 25, 2018 at 3:30 pmIt’s easily made with regular milk and lemon or vinegar! https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/how-to-make-homemade-buttermilk/
Sue
June 25, 2018 at 3:52 pmThanks Niaomi! And you could also use regular milk Liz, that would be fine. I often substitute various dairy products for one another in baked goods, it usually works.
Rhonda
July 29, 2018 at 3:07 pmI used canned milk mixed with 2tbls sour cream. Instead of buttermilk…..delicious!
Sue
July 29, 2018 at 4:59 pmThat really makes this a ‘from the pantry’ cake!
L Allen
August 16, 2018 at 10:18 amSuggest use buttermilk. It’s the acidic component that is needed to react with the baking soda to make the cake rise.
Joan
June 23, 2018 at 8:58 amCan you use almond flour? or any gluten free flour?
i can smell the cake in my dreams. thanks
Joan
Sue
June 23, 2018 at 10:21 amHaha, I know just what you mean about those dreams…I haven’t made this with gf flour, but I would suggest a good baking mix like Bob’s Red Mill to start.
Berni
May 30, 2018 at 8:14 amI made this for memorial day family gathering and I was told this is the new favorite and they want me to make it all the time, lol! The recipe smells so delish as you are preparing it, I loved it! Thanks Sue!
Berni
May 30, 2018 at 8:15 amOh and I used Skippy, worked great!
Sue
May 30, 2018 at 8:22 amI’m truly thrilled, Berni, and I should have mentioned that about the smell, it smells amazing at every step of the way, doesn’t it?
Berni
May 30, 2018 at 8:33 amMy friend came over to help and learn and when she walked in I had the peanut butter with all the other ingredients in the sauce pan and she was like “oh wow what is that smell! I’m drooling.” I know! Then making the frosting, wow! It was just amazing pouring it over the cake. I was looking forward to licking the whisk, she grabbed the sauce pan! She loves your recipes as well. Thanks Sue, I look forward to receiving my recipes all the time.
jenny andrews anderson
May 24, 2018 at 5:40 amhi! quick question…did the peanut butter you used have sugar in it? thanks. i’m making this tomorrow for a party.
jenny
Sue
May 24, 2018 at 5:50 amI use Jiff, which does contain sugar Jenny. I think they make a low sugar version, too. You can use any peanut butter you like, but if you use a natural kind you’ll need to make sure it’s really well stirred.
jenny andrews anderson
May 26, 2018 at 2:08 pmthanks. i did use natural peanut butter. i just dumped the whole jar into the food processor. it worked great. and the cake was really good.
grace
May 23, 2018 at 4:10 pmi’m obsessed with peanut butter goodies these days and i’ll be making this one next!
christine
May 21, 2018 at 10:02 amSlight typo in your recipe. You neglect to say add the dry ingredients before pouring batter into the pan. I figured it out though 🙂 I replaced roasted nuts with chocolate chips. Divine.
Sue
May 21, 2018 at 10:22 amWe fixed that, thanks Christine ~ and I love your chocolatey twist!!
Laura
May 21, 2018 at 9:00 amSue – this is the recipe I’ve been looking for! I love anything peanut butter and a one-bowl cake with a warm frosting – all my favorites!
Patti L.
May 20, 2018 at 9:55 pmQuestion….What would the texture be like with only 1/4 C. oil? The cake looks a litte heavy (in a good way !), but would it be lighter with less oil? I ask because PB is oily, too. Just wondering ! Thank you! It looks yummy!I might even drizzle some chocolate on top !
Elaine Wilson
May 19, 2018 at 6:49 amSue….two comments
Due to an allergy to peanuts, I am going to substitute cashews; I think the slight sweetness of the cashews would be just delicious
The words “Old-fashioned” and the piece of cake placed on that lovely crocheted doily are a delightful example of your creative photography.
Thanks for your blog and for it being a fun spot in my emails!
Sue
May 19, 2018 at 11:51 amCashew butter would be such a fun twist on this cake Elaine, love that!
Laura | Tutti Dolci
May 18, 2018 at 9:24 pmI love that peanut butter frosting, what a dreamy cake! Please save me a slice 🙂
Chris Scheuer
May 18, 2018 at 3:45 pmSchmakalaka! That’s what my mom would say when something was crazy delicious. This cake looks crazy delicious!
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 7:01 pmI know that’s the highest praise coming from you Chris 🙂 My mom used to say “bully good!”
Karen (Back Road Journal)
May 18, 2018 at 12:49 pmOh I haven’t had this in years…way too many to think about. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Marj
May 18, 2018 at 12:10 pmWhy do you not recommend using natural peanut butter? Is it because it is typically thicker? It sounds ridiculously yummy! I am going to make this for my daughter’s shower – if it doesn’t get eaten by me before it makes it there.
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 1:55 pmHey Marj ~ I usually don’t recommend natural peanut butter for baking because it separates and tends to be oily no matter how much you stir it. You could certainly give it a try.
sandra D Joliet
May 18, 2018 at 11:19 amI’ve actually never heard of this before and my Mom is from the South. Her favorite cake is similar where you pour the hot frosting over it…..it sounds awful but I was shocked at how good it was. It’s prune cake. Yeah, I know how it sounds. It is super rich though and I can’t eat a lot at one time. I will have to give recipe a go.
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 2:08 pmOk Sandra, you have to send your mom’s prune cake recipe to me so I can do it for my Reader’s Recipe series!! Here’s the link to submit: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/submit-favorite-family-recipe/
Glenda
May 18, 2018 at 11:14 amHello. What do you mean by ‘not natural’ peanut butter. Also, could you please give us measurements for things like butter in grams? It is so complicated to measure butter in a cup. Thanks
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 2:09 pmI recommend against the natural because it tends to be oily and runny, Glenda, and the consistency can throw off a recipe.
[email protected] is How I Cook
May 18, 2018 at 11:02 amI haven’t even tried it and I know it’s a keeper! I know this cake will soon have a place in our house!
Kathy
May 18, 2018 at 10:55 amAny chance you could provide the nutritional info for your recipes? It would be most helpful. Thanks. And the recipe for the peanut butter cake looks yummy!
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 2:16 pmI’m working on that Kathy, there are so many kinks in most of the apps I’ve tried, but I’ll have it available on all my recipes soon.
Angela McDarren
May 18, 2018 at 10:28 amI will certainly be making this. Love all your cake recipes. However it doesn’t say when to add the dry ingredients. .
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 10:35 amHi Angela! So glad you’ll be trying this–let me know how it turns out! I just fixed the recipe instructions so it should be all clear now. Thanks!
Theresa P.
May 18, 2018 at 9:25 amHi Sue, this looks amazing! can’t wait to try this recipe. from reading the recipe it says to combine the flour,sugar,baking soda, and salt and set aside. but it does Not tell you when to add them in. can you please clarify when to add these ingredients??? Thanks, for sharing. appreciate all you do.
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 10:35 amHi Theresa, I just fixed this in the recipe! You add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and just whisk it all together.
Karly
May 18, 2018 at 9:08 amReminds me of Texas sheet cake just a peanut butter version! I’m sure this is a crowd pleaser!
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 2:18 pmI almost made this as a sheet cake Karly, but to tell you the truth I like it this way better…the pieces are bigger 🙂
Lynn A
May 18, 2018 at 8:52 amHi, Sue! This is something I want to try! My former mother-in-law used to make a peanut butter cake that was awesome, but she’d never give the recipe! LOL Anyway, I’m not sure, from reading the recipe, when to add in the dry ingredients? Should they just be dumped in at the end and mixed in? Thanks for clarifying!
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 10:33 amHi Lynn, thanks for the catch! I just fixed the recipe. You just add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in one go and whisk until combined. Hope you enjoy it!
tucsonbabe
May 18, 2018 at 8:42 amSue,
Wonderful recipe. How far ahead can it be made?
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 10:39 amThanks! I would say you could make this a day or so in advance. I wouldn’t go much further than that so the frosting stays fresh.
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
May 18, 2018 at 8:13 amI have never had a peanut butter cake and now I’m feeling like I’ve truly missed out! Will be trying this 🙂
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 9:05 amI hope you do!! It really is delicious.
averie @ averie cooks
May 18, 2018 at 8:10 amI love that there’s oil, butter, and peanut butter in this cake – talk about super moist! And the frosting looks dreamy! Saw it on Foodgawker 🙂
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 9:03 amGood point! There’s no way you’re going to end up with a dry cake with that trifecta 🙂
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert
May 18, 2018 at 5:42 amWell I’m absolutely drooling but just finished breakfast! Warm peanut butter frosting – oh my. This truly is divine!
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 8:59 amThanks Tricia! It definitely doesn’t get much better than warm peanut butter frosting
2pots2cook
May 18, 2018 at 3:21 amIt’s almost lunch time over here and I am waiting for my delivery to arrive any minute. Slice of this one would make my lunch / day complete Sue 🙂 Or maybe several slices …..
Sue
May 18, 2018 at 8:59 amI wish I could send you some!!