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Peanut Butter Chocolate Cola Cake

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cola Cake | Magnolia Days

There it was again. A craving popped up with full intensity. Trying to squelch it was like holding back a river with a cardboard box. I had to figure out the best way to satisfy this incredible desire for chocolate and peanut butter. Do I make candy? It is way too hot and I’ll leave that for the holidays. Cookies? Nope. The answer was cake. A few cookbooks and magazines later I came up with Peanut Butter Chocolate Cola Cake.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cola Cake | Magnolia Days

“Came up with” is stretching it a lot. Actually it’s more of putting a tiny adjustment to a widely popular recipe. Go look up Southern Living Peanut-Cola Cake on the internet and you will see it listed thousands of times. All I did was notice it was chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. I wanted more peanut butter. One minor change was all it took to make it to the way I envisioned.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cola Cake | Magnolia Days

Baking the cake went just fine. The substitution of made no difference in how it baked. Then it came time for the usual photo session. The first photo of the cake intact was easy. I figured the first slice would be a little ragged on the edges. Sure enough it was. The second slice was perfect. I set it out and was ready to take the photo. I turned around to see my dog Tiger taking a big bite of the frosting. So much for that photogenic slice.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cola Cake | Magnolia Days

Tiger sure did enjoy the frosting. He was a tail wagging, ears straight up, happy hound. Keeping him away from the next slice was a chore. He definitely wanted more. Anyway, I finally managed to get the photos done and could move on to actually enjoying a slice. Did it satisfy my craving? Oh yes. It’s a moist, peanut buttery, chocolate-y, cake covered with a thick layer of peanut butter frosting. Cocktail peanuts are scattered on top for an occasional crunch and touch of salt to contrast the sweetness. Here’s a close-up of the deliciousness:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cola Cake | Magnolia Days

What is your most major and re-occurring craving? It is sweet or savory? Obviously mine is chocolate and peanut butter. I can’t imagine not having them in my pantry. I do have to be ready when the urge strikes. I think next time I’ll do a twist on Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Quick Bread and perhaps add in banana or another flavor. Oh the possibilities…

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cola Cake

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cola Cake will satisfy your sweet craving. It's a southern moist cake loaded with peanut butter, chocolate, and a touch of cola.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12 to 16 servings
Author Renee

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 creamy peanut butter
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup regular cola soft drink not diet or low-sugar
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the frosting:

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 package confectioners sugar 16 ounce, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped cocktail peanuts

Instructions

For the cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13- X 9- X 2-inch baking pan.
  2. Beat butter, peanut butter, and sugar in a large bowl until blended.
  3. Add eggs and vanilla, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  4. Stir together cola and buttermilk in a 2-cup measuring cup.
  5. Whisk together flour, cocoa, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add to butter mixture alternately with cola mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until just until blended after each addition.
  6. Pour and spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
  7. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Prepare frosting while cake is cooling. Do not remove cake from pan after cooling 10 minutes.

For the frosting:

  1. Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add milk and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
  2. Reduce heat to low and add peanut butter, whisking constantly until smooth.
  3. Gradually whisk in confectioners sugar until smooth.
  4. Remove from heat and stir or whisk in vanilla.
  5. Pour frosting over warm cake (after it has cooled for 10 minutes).
  6. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over frosting. Cool cake completely.

Recipe Notes

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cola Cake will satisfy your sweet craving. It's a southern moist cake loaded with peanut butter, chocolate, and a touch of cola.

Recipe adapted from Southern Living Peanut-Cola Cake

Recipe Rating