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Peanut Butter Cup Sheet Cake

Diner-StyleOvenVegetarian
Time :40 minutes
Yield :24 servings
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Rich chocolate fudge squares topped with chopped nuts on parchment paper with dessert utensils and flowers in the scene.

The Scoop

If a peanut butter cup and a classic sheet cake made a baby, this would be it. 
If a peanut butter cup and a classic sheet cake made a baby, this would be it.  
This peanut butter cup sheet cake comes with a signature glossy finish that might look store-bought, so you might have to defend your cooking skills every time you make this. The chocolate frosting is so silky that it settles into every nook and corner, making it irresistible! It’s not the kind of light and airy dessert that whispers sweet little nothings to your ears. It’s as grandiose as it looks, and you’ll have zero regrets after having a second piece.
Hack it:
Feeling extra? Sprinkle chopped peanut butter cups over the frosting before it sets.
Add crunchiness: Sprinkle a handful of chopped, caramelized nuts on top.
Add protein: We’ll cave in to the protein craze. Add a couple of scoops of your favorite chocolate-flavored protein powder to the batter.
Feeling boozy? Add a shot of rum to the butter for extra flavor.
Leftovers:
A quick 10-second microwave warm-up makes each piece taste and feel freshly baked.
Made too much and it dried up? Slice thinly and layer on a baking pan. Add custard on top and bake for a few minutes to breathe new life into it.
Chop and add to your yogurt bowl along with a drizzle of caramel syrup.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the frosting:

  • 1 3/4 sticks butter
  • 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa
  • 6 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pound minus 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, the sugar, and the salt.
  • In a saucepan, melt 2 sticks of the butter.
  • Add the peanut butter to the melted butter and stir them together.
  • Add the boiling water to the peanut butter mixture and allow it to boil for 30 seconds.
  • Transfer the peanut butter mixture from the heat, pour it over the flour mixture, and stir to slightly cool it.
  • In a measuring cup, add the buttermilk, the eggs, the baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract and stir to combine.
  • Pour the buttermilk mixture into the batter and stir to combine.
  • Evenly spread the batter into an 18x13-inch sheet pan and bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
  • Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan.
  • Add the cocoa to the butter and stir to combine.
  • Turn off the stove-top heat and stir the milk, the vanilla extract, and the powdered sugar into the cocoa mixture.
  • Add the pecans to the icing mixture and stir until they are evenly distributed.
  • Pour the icing over the cake.
  • Slice and serve.
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