Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
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If you have a peanut butter-loving family, they will love this Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting recipe from the first melt-in-your-mouth bite. It features a tender peanut butter-flavored cake made from scratch with a deliciously creamy peanut butter cream cheese frosting.
The only thing better than a homemade peanut butter cake is a peanut butter cake with peanut butter frosting. I am grateful to my dear family friend, Kate Burhop, for sharing her grandmother’s recipe with me and I was so excited to make it for my peanut butter-loving family. This is similar to my old-fashioned yellow cake with peanut butter fudge icing.
However, this time we’re making a cake from scratch that includes peanut butter, sugar, butter, eggs, and buttermilk (it’s the Southern way) for ultimate tenderness and moistness. Yes, this cake melts in your mouth, even without the frosting.
The other difference is that instead of an old-fashioned peanut butter icing, this peanut butter frosting is made with cream cheese, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. That cream cheese twang really differentiates the two and this one is creamier compared to the other icing’s fudge consistency.
It may sound like there’s a lot going on, but let me tell you, this is such an easy peanut butter cake recipe. You just have to slowly combine the cake ingredients together, which takes no time at all. Then bake them for about 35 minutes and while cooling, mix the frosting ingredients together. Then you can ice the cake however you want.
I just know you’re going to love this Peanut Butter Cake recipe as much as I do. The peanut butter flavor is so good, y’all. The in your life will fall head over heels for it! It’s the first cake Kate learned to bake from scratch and her most requested dessert recipe. In just one bite you’ll know exactly why! Just don’t forget to serve it with a glass of milk (trust me).
Recipe Ingredients
- Self-rising flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Creamy peanut butter
- Cream cheese (check out our recipe for easy-peasy homemade cream cheese)
- Powdered sugar
- Unsalted butter or margarine
- Eggs
How to Make Peanut Butter Cake With Peanut Butter Frosting
Place sugar…
Butter…
Peanut butter…
And eggs in a mixing bowl.
Mix with an electric mixer until well combined and smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine the self-rising flour with baking soda.
I don’t sift. Neither did Mamaw. A spoon works just fine for this.
Then alternate between adding the to the …
With adding the buttermilk as well.
When you’ve finished mixing your ingredients, the cake batter should look something like this.
Now using cooking spray, grease your pans. This cake is enough to fill three 8-inch cake pans.
You can also bake it in a 9×13 baking dish if you’d prefer a and just ice it right in the pan.
However, today I have a bit of time on my hands and have decided to go with my “intuition” for something special.
If using three 8-inch pans, bake at 350 for about 35 minutes.
Time may vary slightly if you decide to use differently sized pans.
Allow them to cool for 10 minutes in the pans before turning out to cool completely.
Making the Peanut Butter Frosting
For the frosting, combine the peanut butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl.
Then add the powdered sugar…
And the milk.
You may need to add an extra tablespoon or two of milk if the mixture is too thick. Alternatively, if the mixture becomes too runny for your tastes, add extra powdered sugar.
Then add the frosting between the cooled cake layers and cover the entire cake.
You can even pipe on some little accents if you’re feeling extra fancy.
But really, frost your cake however you wish!
I assure you it will taste just as good, if not better, slopped on the cake as it will when neatly decorated.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to dive into this delicious slice of Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting.
Storage
- Store leftover Peanut Butter Cake in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. It tastes delicious when served chilled, so if you live in a warmer climate like here in the South, I recommend storing it in the fridge.
- You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes
- If you like, top your cake with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips, chopped roasted peanuts, crushed peanut brittle, , or pieces of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.
- You want to use creamy peanut butter and not crunchy peanut butter, as the texture won’t work for the cake or frosting.
- If you’d prefer a , substitute the for my creamy chocolate frosting.
Check out these other peanut butter treats:
Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Icing
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars
Easy Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Brownies with Peanut Butter Fudge Icing
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Cake
- 2 2/3 cups self-rising flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1.5 cups peanut butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Place sugar, butter, peanut butter, and eggs in a mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer until well combined and smooth.2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1 cup peanut butter, 2 eggs
- Mix together dry ingredients (self-rising flour and baking soda) in a separate bowl. Combine the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.2 2/3 cups self-rising flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 2 cups buttermilk
- Bake in three cake pans at 350 for about 35 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes in their pans before turning out to cool completely.
Frosting
- Combine peanut butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. You may need to add an extra tablespoon or two of milk if the mixture is too thick. Alternatively, if the mixture becomes too runny for your tastes, add extra powdered sugar.4 cups powdered sugar, 1.5 cups peanut butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, 2 tbsp milk
- Spread between the cooled cake layers and around the entire cake.
Video
If you aren’t grateful, you’re not paying attention.
I made this cake tonite and while it was very good it was so crumbly it fell apart. I couldn’t really frost it because it would just crumble. So I just put cake crumbles in a bowl with a scoop of frosting and ate it like that. Was still good, just wish it had held together better.
Dear Christy, I just ate my first bite from your recipe & it’s delicious! Very moist & not too sweet, even with the icing. I had to adjust the baking method to a 9 by 13 glass pan. I baked for 35 min., but the cake still was runny in the middle. I turned the oven temp. down to 325 & baked it for another 10 min. because I saw it was getting too brown. It came out perfect by testing with a toothpick. I cut the frosting recipe in half & spread it on creamy. My husband loved this cake & I’m keeping this recipe to share with my family. By the way, it is the first time to make a peanut butter cake. Thanks for sharing!
I am so glad you liked it Linda!! Glad to hear you were able to adapt it for the way you wanted to make it!
My grandmother was also 4’11” tall & my grandfather was 6’1″. My husband loves peanut butter, so I am going to have to try this cake. I love chocolate cake with peanut butter icing. I love reading your posts, they are always so uplifting. God bless you,
Wow! Made this for my husband who wanted a peanut butter cake. Made an 8×8 for home and larger one for him to take to work. Cake tastes even better after resting overnight. My frosting didn’t want to stick but it was so delicious there was no way that frosting was not going to be on that cake! I improvised and made it work…worth it no doubt. Family coming into town this weekend so I may just have to make it again. Thanks!!! =^)
I am so glad that you liked it!!
I made this cake for Christmas. It was a big hit! We loved loved loved it! I had to make the frosting twice, however. The first time it didn’t come out right because I added everything together at once. The second time, I added everything but the powdered sugar and milk. I gradually added the powdered sugar and added milk as the batter thickened and the frosting came out much better. I can’t wait to make this again for a work potluck.
I am so glad to hear it was a hit!!!
I was just wondering if the icing would turn out if I used less powdered sugar. It sounds so good but I’m easy to get sick when there’s a lot of sugar.
I can’t answer that for certain Martha, you would just have to play around with it and see how it turns out. I just always go by my recipe but in theory it should work ok.
This is my husband favorite recipe! I made it once for his birthday,and now every special occasion it is requested. LOVE IT!!!!! Thanks for all your great recipes!
I am so glad to hear it is such a hit Susan!! It is a favorite of ours and am so glad to hear that you like it as well!