This is the perfect peanut butter cake recipe. It has the great taste of peanut butter without being overwhelming. I can’t wait to make it again and share it with friends! ~Marci
This old fashioned peanut butter cake is a winner!
Peanut butter cake is a good old Southern potluck staple. It starts with a base of moist peanut butter sheet cake. Then hot peanutty frosting gets poured right over the warm cake, and the whole thing gets showered with roasted peanuts. Just. Divine.
I can’t imagine there are too many of you out there who wouldn’t enjoy this old fashioned sheet 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. And I can’t even with that frosting.
gather your ingredients
- all purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- peanut butter
- I love Jiff for its flavor and texture. Regular creamy pb works best. Natural peanut butter, the kind that separates with an oily layer at the top, doesn’t work as well for baking.
- butter
- eggs
- vegetable oil
- buttermilk
- the buttermilk in the cake and in the frosting gives this cake its Southern charm.
- confectioner’s sugar
- baking soda, salt
- vanilla extract
- crushed peanuts
The hot 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.
we love caramel
- Pumpkin Layer Cake with Caramel Frosting
- Caramel Frosted Zucchini Pecan Bars
- Salted Caramel Pot de Crème
- Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
- Caramel Apple Bundt Cake
whisk up peanut cake batter right in a saucepan!
The batter is thin enough that you can whisk it up in a saucepan, no mixer or extra bowl needed. That makes this amazing cake dangerously easy to throw together (it could get habit forming.)
the bottom line
The older this site gets, the longer my favorites list gets, but I’m looking you straight in the eye when I say this peanut butter 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.
“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. The frosting is so good, like a peanut butter caramel.
Thanks for a great recipe!!” ~Gerry
Peanut Butter Cake
Equipment
- standard 9×13 baking pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter Note: I used regular peanut butter for this recipe, 'natural'peanut butter does not work as well.
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
frosting
- 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
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl 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.
Video
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.
Nutrition
Has anyone tried making this in smaller form? So a 9” circle or square pan, or even cupcakes? If so are there any modifications about time or temp I should be aware of?
Yes. 3/4 full for 20 minutes. Use her PB buttercream icing though.
How would you alter icing to pipe on cupcakes?
I would make a regular peanut butter buttercream for piping. I have a peanut butter frosting recipe here.
I made cupcakes for bridal shower. 3/4 full about 20 min. Used her PB buttercream and it was amazing.
Thanks Anita <3
Best recipe ever my family loved it
The flavour just takes your breath away
Made this today and we had it for breakfast. It is so good! Never made a peanut butter cake before, and this was so easy to make and really tasty. I used 1 cup sugar in cake and 2 cups powdered sugar for frosting. It was still very sweet, moist, and delicious! My 3 yr old who said she hates peanut butter loved the cake, especially the frosting 🙂 We had it warm and can’t wait to try it cooled down too. Thanks for another great recipe, Sue!
For breakfast? Nice way to start the day 🙂 Thanks Marisa.
Oh, my goodness. This cake is SO delicious!! My husband raved and said that I can put that icing on any cake I make….which made me think that the next time I make Texas Sheet cake, its going to have peanut butter icing. So, so good!!!
Made this cake with about 1 1/2 cups of light brown sugar, and natural peanut butter. Also when we made the buttermilk / water quantity swap suggested above. It was absolutely delicious, and my family who likes their sweet things sweet thought it was sweet enough. For the frosting I did quarter cup of butter, half cup of peanut butter, 2 cups of powdered sugar with the salt and vanilla and it turned out great. We may have added some chopped up chocolate chips along with the peanuts on top to go with the fun Sahara animals to decorate for my nephews birthday. Thanks for the great recipe. This is totally a keeper.
I made this cake today after reading the wonderful comments. It did not disappoint. I loved the slightly dense texture and was glad it could be made in a bowl without getting out my mixer. I wouldn’t change a thing and will definitely make again.
I made it. We loved it!!
I sent half to our daughter’s family. They loved it too.
When we had eaten it all, both families were sad. I will definitely make this cake again… SOON.
It is now a new favorite.
Nothing makes me happier Camille 🙂
This is the number one cake in my family and friends at work for the last 2 years. The blackberry bars are a very close second. I love your recipes. The bread one is next this week, for sure! Thank you Sue!
Yay Bernice, so glad it’s become a yummy part of your life.
AMAZING recipe. Made this cake Saturday night(was gone before Sunday night), making again Monday night. Everyone loved this cake!
Fantastic cake! I’ve made it twice!