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
Video
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.
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
Guess what I’m making tonight for a birthday here are work tomorrow? Yes, they all want the peanut butter cake!
Haha, you’re becoming famous for it Berni!
Sue – 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.
Sorry to tempt you Marj!
I have been told, by my family, not to show up at 4th of July outing without this cake. Yep.
LOVE it 🙂 Have a wonderful holiday Berni.
I used your line in my facebook posts today 🙂
Do refrigerate this cake after its done
I love the texture of the frosting when it’s refrigerated.
Can we use just regular milk ? I never have any other use for buttermilk and our store just carries the quart size.
It’s easily made with regular milk and lemon or vinegar! https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/how-to-make-homemade-buttermilk/
Thanks 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.
I used canned milk mixed with 2tbls sour cream. Instead of buttermilk…..delicious!
That really makes this a ‘from the pantry’ cake!
Suggest use buttermilk. It’s the acidic component that is needed to react with the baking soda to make the cake rise.
Can you use almond flour? or any gluten free flour?
i can smell the cake in my dreams. thanks
Joan
Haha, 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.
I 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!
Oh and I used Skippy, worked great!
I’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?
My 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.
hi! quick question…did the peanut butter you used have sugar in it? thanks. i’m making this tomorrow for a party.
jenny
I 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.
thanks. 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.
i’m obsessed with peanut butter goodies these days and i’ll be making this one next!
Slight 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.
We fixed that, thanks Christine ~ and I love your chocolatey twist!!