Goober Cake (Peanut Butter Cake)
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Peanut butter layer cake is a decadent American dessert featuring three tender cake layers infused with natural peanut butter sandwiched between chocolate ganache and peanut butter frosting. The perfect dessert for a peanut butter lover!
This cake is absolutely worth making! There’s something so comforting about that chocolate-peanut butter combo that takes you right back to childhood, but in a grown-up, impressive cake that’ll have everyone asking for the recipe. I found this recipe while flipping through this beautiful cookbook that I picked up at Cracker Barrel – the perfect store to buy this “vintage” cake book. I must have skimmed through this book about 50 times trying to decide what to make first because everything looked so darn good!!
But back to the book, something about these vintage cake recipes makes me feel like I’m back in time, a time that was less hectic and when you were more connected to the world around you. A time where I imagine relaxing on my imaginary little covered front porch on my imaginary porch swing with a big ole glass of iced tea in hand (and a good book of course). Doesn’t that sound like a great way to spend the day?
Recipe from: Vintage Cakes, by Julie Richardson.
Ingredients Notes
Cake Flour vs. All-Purpose Flour: The recipe recommends cake flour, but all-purpose works too. Cake flour creates a lighter texture, but all-purpose flour is more versatile and works perfectly fine here.
Natural Peanut Butter: The recipe specifically calls for natural chunky peanut butter. This type contains just peanuts and salt (sometimes just peanuts) and separates naturally – you’ll need to stir it well before measuring. Avoid using conventional peanut butter with added sugar and stabilizers as it will change the texture and sweetness.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Notice that the milk should be at room temperature. This helps everything mix more evenly. Set it out about 30 minutes before starting.
Brown Sugar: This adds moisture and a deeper flavor than white sugar. Pack it into your measuring cup unless using a kitchen scale.
Heavy Cream: This is the same as “whipping cream” – it has a high fat content (about 36%) which is essential for the ganache to set properly and the frosting to be stable.
Method Overview
For the cake layers, you’ll start by mixing your dry ingredients in one bowl – this helps distribute the baking powder and salt evenly. Set this aside while you work on the wet mixture. Next comes the creaming process, where you’ll beat together brown sugar and butter until they form a paste. This is when you’ll slowly drizzle in the oil, giving the mixture time to incorporate well. This step builds the foundation for a tender crumb, so don’t rush it.
Adding the peanut butter comes next, folding it gently into your butter mixture. Then you’ll add eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully mixed in before adding the next. This prevents the batter from curdling.
The trickiest part is adding the dry ingredients and milk. You’ll alternate between them, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until the flour disappears – overmixing at this stage can make your cake tough.
Once your batter is ready, divide it evenly between your prepared pans and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool partially in the pans before turning them out to finish cooling completely.
For the ganache, you’ll heat heavy cream until it’s just simmering, then pour it over your chocolate. The key is patience – let it sit covered for about 5 minutes before stirring. Start from the center and work your way out to create a smooth mixture. Then allow it to cool and thicken for several hours before using.
The peanut butter frosting comes together fairly quickly. Beat the peanut butter and butter first until they’re well combined and fluffy. Then gradually add the remaining ingredients until you get a light, spreadable consistency.
When assembling the cake, make sure everything has cooled completely. Spread a thin layer of ganache on each layer first, followed by the frosting. Stack the layers carefully, keeping the sides unfrosted for a modern, rustic look that showcases the beautiful layers.
Tips & Techniques
Don’t Overmix: Once you start adding flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes cakes tough rather than tender.
Level Your Cakes: For a professional-looking finish, use a serrated knife to trim any domes off your cake layers so they stack evenly (optional).
Crumb Coat Option: Though not mentioned in the recipe below, you might want to apply a thin “crumb coat” of frosting and chill the cake for 20 minutes before the final frosting to prevent crumbs from showing.
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📖 Recipe
Goober Cake (Peanut Butter Cake)
Ingredients
- 3 cups cake flour (12 ounces) (I used all purpose)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 3/4 cup brown sugar (12.75 ounces)
- 1/2 cup butter (5 ounces)
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup milk (room temperature)
For the ganache
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
For the frosting
- 1/2 cup chunky natural peanut butter
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3 ounces), room temperature and cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy cream more if needed to thin
- 2.5 cups powdered sugar (10 ounces) more if needed to thicken
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 3 eight-inch round or square cake pans by greasing and flouring the pans and then set aside
- Combine and sift the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside
- Add the brown sugar and butter to the bowl of a standing mixer and mix on medium speed until pasty
- Drizzle in the oil and mix on medium speed for 5 minutes; scrape down the bowl intermittently to ensure everything is mixed well.
- Add the peanut butter and stir to combine on low speed
- Add eggs one at a time, and mix until incorporated
- Add the flour mixture in 3 parts to the mixer, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the flour; do not overmix. Mix only until the flour has been incorporated
- Divide batter evenly among the 3 pans and bake for 28 to 33 minutes
- When finished, remove cakes and cool in the pans for 30 minutes and then invert on wire rack to finish cooling right side up
For the Ganache
- Pour chocolate into a heatproof bowl
- Heat the heavy cream in saucepan over medium heat until simmering; promptly remove, pour over semi sweet chips, and cover with dish or lid to trap the heat for approximately 5 minutes
- Remove cover and stir well beginning in the center of the mixture
- Allow the mixture to cool for 3 to 4 hours to thicken (unless you would like to use it as a glaze in which case it will be ready in about an hour)
For the Frosting
- Combine the peanut butter and butter in the bowl of a standing mixer and mix on medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes
- Slowly add the remaining ingredients and continue mixing until fluffy, about 3 to 4 more minutes. If necessary, adjust the cream or powdered sugar slowly to make it thicker or thinner.
- Frosting will keep at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 7 days.
To Assemble the Cake
- Ensure that ganache and frosting have thickened to the appropriate spreading consistency (use the refrigerator to speed up the process)
- If the frosting has been refrigerated for more than 1 hour or so, you may have to rewhip the frosting, and if the ganache has become too stiff, simply place it somewhere warm to soften.
- Assemble the cake by covering each layer with a thin layer of ganache followed by one third of the frosting, then top with next layer
- The sides of the cake can remain unfrosted
Oh. My. Goodness!! My son, who does not like cake of any kind, cannot wait to get some! I made this for his girlfriend’s birthday today and we’re not having dessert until later. It came out beautifully, and I know, just by how the ingredients went together, that it is going to be outstanding! Thank you for the great recipe!
Oh I’m so glad! It is SO good – now I wanna make it too 😂