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This chocolate peanut butter cake has a peanut butter cheesecake right in the center and is topped with lots of thick peanut butter frosting and rich chocolate ganache.
Be sure to pin this recipe for later, so you don’t lose it!
Have y’all ever heard of or eaten a Buckeye? Yes, right? Please say yes.
For those of you who don’t know what a buckeye is, it’s just a peanut butter ball dipped partially in chocolate to resemble a buckeye. They are outrageously delicious and I can’t believe I don’t have a recipe for them on this site. I’m a mean blogger.
Anyway, Buckeye candies are amazing, but yesterday I wasn’t in the mood for candy. I wanted cake. So I played around and created this chocolate peanut butter cake. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.
Chocolate peanut butter anything is my fav.
This cake is momentous both because it is INSANE and because I don’t bake cake. I can’t bake cake. They just never turn out right. Like, ever.
This one, though, this one turned out to be kind of…shall we say…deadly. In a good way. A really ridiculous good way.
What you’re drooling over is a layer of chocolate cake, a layer of chocolate peanut butter glaze, a layer of peanut butter cheesecake, another layer of the chocolate peanut butter glaze, another layer of chocolate cake, a layer of peanut butter frosting (that tastes EXACTLY like a peanut butter ball) and more of the chocolate peanut butter glaze.
This chocolate peanut butter Buckeye Cake is so good you will die. True story.
If you LOVE chocolate and peanut butter, be sure to check out the entire category I have devoted to chocolate and peanut butter treats! It’s bursting at the seams with delicious things your family and friends will go nuts over!
Buckeye Cake
Ingredients
For the Peanut Butter Cheesecake:
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk I used 1%, but 2% or whole milk would be great too
For the chocolate cake:
- 1 box chocolate cake mix prepared according to package directions (homemade works too, if you're feeling adventurous) and baked in 2 9 inch round cake pans
For the Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
For the chocolate peanut butter glaze
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
For the Peanut Butter Cheesecake:
- Bake the cheesecake one day in advance so that it has plenty of time to chill in the fridge before layering with the chocolate cake!
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Beat together the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and flour until light and smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the milk.
- Grease a 9-inch round springform pan VERY WELL. There is no crust on this cheesecake, so it is imperative that you really grease the pan so that the cheesecake will release from it easily.
- Pour batter into the greased pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 325 degrees.
- Reduce heat to 260 and bake for 50 minutes or until just the center is slightly jiggly.
- Cool on the counter for 2 hours. Transfer to a refrigerator to chill overnight.
For the chocolate cake:
- Prepare the cake mix according to the package or use a recipe for homemade cake.
- Bake in 2 9-inch round, well greased cake pans. Cool completely.
For the peanut butter frosting:
- Cream together the butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix well. Beat in half of the cream. Add the remaining powdered sugar and continue mixing until combined. Beat in the remaining cream.
For the chocolate peanut butter glaze:
- In a double boiler or a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. When melted remove from heat and whisk in the cream until it is a smooth, creamy consistency.
To assemble:
- Place one layer of chocolate cake on your cake stand and top with 1/4 of the chocolate peanut butter glaze. Spread to the edges.
- Very carefully remove the sides of your springform pan and place the entire cheesecake upside down on the chocolate cake layer. The bottom of the springform pan should now be on top of the cheesecake. Carefully slide a knife in between the cheesecake and pan bottom to loosen. If you greased your pan well this should be fairly simple and the pan bottom will easily lift off.
- Pour another 1/4 of the chocolate glaze over the cheesecake and spread to the edges.
- Top this with the second layer of chocolate cake.
- Place the whole cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to harden up a bit.
- Cover the top and sides of the cake with the peanut butter frosting. Smooth it out as best you can.
- Microwave the chocolate glaze for about 5-10 seconds to soften it back up. Whisk well and then pour over the top center of the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread the glaze to the edges, letting it drip down in some areas.
- Store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information:
Check out some of my other popular recipes below!
This Oreo Fudge is an easy fudge recipe with all of that cookies and cream flavor people love!
My Nutella Brownies are popular all over the world!
These Cinnamon Sugar Shortbread Bars are super easy and everyone loves them.
If you love the grocery store whipped frosting, check out my whipped frosting recipe!
Kelsey says
I love this cake! Just made it today for a dinner party later tonight! The frosting is surprisingly hard to spread, very think but the recipe makes enough your can be generous which makes it easier. Don’t be afraid to spread away!
Thanks for this post! I’m sure everyone will love this tonight!
Moma C says
I AM DROOLING :))
MonaMdd says
Wow this looks amazing!!!!!! Can’t wait to try it!!!!
www.cookyourdream.blogspot.com
SpWri says
So I made this cake for Thanksgiving as one of our desserts. It is AMAZING. Heavy cake due to cheesecake center–almost could make the center a dessert in itself, seriously. I skipped dinner tonight, and did overtime on the treadmill today so I can have it again tonight! Wow!! This will be made again at Christmas, no doubt!
Karly says
Brandie, sorry you had problems with it! You may need to add a bit more cream as needed to thin it out. 🙂
brandie tripp says
i just made it, the peanut butter icing was really hard to get spread i thought
SaltedV8 says
I had the same problem the first time I made it. It was too dry and wouldnt spread so I added a little more liquid and it got too runny. Lets hope the second time around today is better.
Karly says
Just add a little milk at a time to the frosting and it should come together just fine.
Lori says
WOW!!!!! I am known for bringing something to Thanksgiving dinners that contain CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER!!!! I think I just found what I will attempt to take!!!!! This looks amazing, awesome and well, a little sinful!! Who needs pumpkin when you can have chocolate and peanut butter!!
Brenda says
OMG! I’m drooling! I want to make this! Thank you BIMO! I have a new website to love!
Naomi says
Help! I’ve tried the peanut butter frosting twice now and it comes out lumpy and not frosting like. I added more cream and it was ok, but I know I’m doing something wrong and can’t figure out what it is. Any ideas?
Lauren says
@Naomi,
Was your butter at room temperature or was it cold? If your butter was not room temperature it would not cream with the other ingredients well. You might also have needed to sift your powdered sugar to get out any clumps there.
Naomi says
@Lauren, It’s possible the butter was not quite room temperature and for sure I did not sift the sugar because I usually sort of skip that step. It still tasted delicious but I will try that for next time. Thanks so much!
Jackie says
I came across this recipe a few days ago and thought it would be perfect to make for my boyfriend’s birthday. I made everything in advance the night before last to give it time to cool. Last night I put it together and my guy was drooling at how awesome it looked!! He said it was the best cake he’s ever had and that it tasted like a peanut butter kandy kake. The chocolate hardens when you put it in the fridge too… it’s sooo good!!! 🙂
Andrea says
Wow. I just drooled all over my computer.
Hayley says
Hi Karly!
I was introduced to your blog through StumbleUpon.com.. I had a hankering to bake something incredibly yummy, and my boyfriend pointed your Buckeye Cake out! I tried it and it turned out AMAZING! I even posted pictures on my facebook page that I wanted to show you, but I don’t know how to add pictures on your blog. The cake was rich, but it was delicious & I had never made a layered cake before so I was kind of nervous, but it was easy! Also, it is so good with coffee:)
Thank you! <3
Hayley
Jennifer says
You my friend are going to a bad place for people who create and then take stunning pictures of things that people really shouldn’t pass over their lips. I can’t wait to join you!
Melissa says
I just made this and oh my goodess it is huge! not to mention delightful and totally calorie free!
Ashley says
How far in advance could I make this cake? My friend and I were planning on making a double batch before Thanksgiving so we could each take a cake to our family dinner but we could only do it the Saturday or Sunday before. Do you think if I managed to keep everyone away from the cake it would still be good?