Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cake

Serves 10-12

Hands-on Time 40 minutes (plus cooling)

Baking Time 25 minutes

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Ingredients

• 350g unsalted butter (softened, plus extra for greasing)

• 40g + 2 tsp cocoa powder

• 50ml + 3 tbsp full-fat milk

• 120g dark chocolate (minimum 70%)

• 300g caster sugar

• 4 medium eggs (separated)

• 240g self-raising flour

• ½ tsp salt (divided)

• 150g soured cream

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 150g smooth peanut butter

• 300g icing sugar

• 100ml single cream (optional, for ganache)

• 100g white chocolate (optional, for ganache)

• Handful of unsalted peanuts (chopped, for decoration)

Equipment

• Scissors

• Baking parchment

• 2 x 20cm fixed or push-bottom cake tins

• Saucepan

• Spatula

• 2 large bowls

• Electric or hand whisk

• Sieve

• Wide bowl

• Wire rack

• Microwaveable bowl

• Palette knife

• Disposable piping bag and nozzle (optional)

Method

1. Prepare the tins

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C (fan)/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

• Line the cake tins with parchment circles. Grease the tins and dust with 1 tsp cocoa powder each, tapping out any excess.

2. Make the cake batter

• Melt 200g butter and 50ml milk in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, add the dark chocolate, and stir until melted. Let cool.

• Whisk 150g sugar and the egg yolks in a large bowl until pale and thick.

• In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the remaining 150g sugar. Whisk to stiff peaks.

• Sieve the flour, 40g cocoa, and 1/8 tsp salt into a wide bowl.

• Mix the soured cream and vanilla into the cooled chocolate mixture. Add this to the egg yolk mixture and stir gently.

• Fold in the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the egg whites, until just combined.

3. Bake the cakes

• Divide the batter between the tins and bake on the middle shelf for 25 minutes.

• Cool in the tins for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Make the peanut butter buttercream

• Whisk 150g butter and the icing sugar until smooth. Add the peanut butter and ¼ tsp salt, and whisk again.

• Add 3 tbsp milk and whisk until light and smooth enough to pipe. Adjust consistency with extra milk if needed.

5. Assemble and decorate

• Place one cake layer bottom-side down. Spread 1/3 of the buttercream on top.

• Sandwich with the second cake layer, top-side down.

• Use 1/3 of the buttercream to fill gaps and coat the sides and top of the cake. Smooth with a palette knife or create decorative swirls.

6. Optional ganache drip

• Heat the single cream until steaming. Pour over the white chocolate and stir until smooth. Let cool to a ribbon consistency.

• Spoon the ganache over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Chill to set.

• Pipe using the remaining buttercream and decorate with chopped peanuts.

Enjoy!