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This peanut butter and jelly chocolate cake has all the treat sweet things that kids (most) love to eat. It has chocolate- yes! It has a sweet velvety peanut butter buttercream- yess! And it has a super easy to make strawberry jelly sauce for the filling to add a little bit of fruity tartness- yesss! Everything goes together so well: chocolate and peanut butter; chocolate and strawberries; peanut butter and strawberry jelly. All in all this will be a favorite cake to make in your house for any occasion. We ate the whole thing in a matter of 2-3 days with no shame because it is just that delicious. You won't be able to resist.
Buttermilk Chocolate Cake:
This is the best chocolate cake in the world I am pretty sure. You could get a box cake mix and I'm sure it would pass but this is the chocolate cake of your dreams. It is so moist (cringing writing the word but hey, it is what it is), packed with chocolate flavor, and has the perfect crumb. The buttermilk is what I think gives the cake this perfect flavor and feel combination, as buttermilk usually does for baked goods.
You will want to use a very large mixing bowl for this chocolate cake as it makes enough for 3 layers of cake. Start by making up the buttermilk mixture by combining your choice of milk (I have used Almond Milk and Whole Milk and both worked great) and the Apple Cider Vinegar. The ACV is key to the cake. The way the acidity in the buttermilk mixture plays with the baking soda in the cake is what gives it that moisture and fluffiness as well as good flavor. If you don't have any Amazon Prime can always get it to you quickly 😉 It also has so many uses other than cake. I am pretty sure I have 3 bottles in 3 different rooms in my house.
Set the milk mixture aside to turn into buttermilk. In your very large bowl combine the dry ingredients making sure there are no lumps stuck anywhere. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, mix the warm water with the instant coffee until the granules are dissolved (the coffee I use is linked). This step is totally optional and the cake will taste amazing without it as well, but the point of the coffee addition is to really draw out and compliment that cocoa flavor. If you are not going to do that though, just warm water is good.
Once you have that ready to go, begin to combine all the wet ingredients in a medium bowl with a whisk or electric mixer including the buttermilk. Finally combine it all together to make a LOT of delicious cake batter. Divide it among 3 separate cake pans- make sure they are buttered and dusted with flour. Bake them at 350 for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. When the cakes are done let them cool for a couple hours before attempting frosting or filling. This gives you time to start the peanut butter and jelly part 🙂
Strawberry Jelly Sauce:
This part of the recipe is short, sweet, and simple. In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar, strawberries, and water and heat on medium or so until a low rolling boil starts. Keep stirring as you go and keep the boil going for a few minutes at least until it gets a bit thicker. The longer you cook it the thicker it will get. You can keep the strawberries whole, sliced, or you can crush them once they are soft enough. This sauce really helps to get that little bit of tartness into the layers of the sweet chocolate cake. Once it's done, let is cool completely before putting on the cake. It will thicken a bit while cooling down as well.
Peanut Butter Buttercream:
Is there anything more delicious sounding than peanut butter buttercream? I don't think so. It is the star of this cake. Now, I really loved using a crunchy peanut butter in this and spreading that texture over the cake. It added something different and I loved it. Feel free, though, to use a creamy version instead if that's your vibe.
Again, super simple, sweet, and short. Beat everything in a bowl until creamy, velvety, and delicious.
Assembly Tips:
- Once the cake has cooled completely, trim the tops off to make a nice even floor to place the next layer on.
- Spread the strawberry jelly on first and then layer it up.
- Use a piping bag or a plastic bag with a whole in the corner to pipe the peanut butter buttercream on and then spread it even.
- If you are finding the frosting to be too thick- add a tablespoon of milk in at a time until you get the right consistency as every peanut butter is a little different.
- If it is a little too runny, add some more powdered sugar- again a tablespoon at a time.
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Be sure to try out some of our Heath Bar Cookies next time you have a sweet craving 😉
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cooling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
This homemade chocolate cake is the best! Moist and easy to make you will never go back to box again. Add in the peanut butter buttercream frosting and the strawberry jelly filling and you have a cake made from scratch that no one will forget!
Ingredients
Buttermilk Chocolate Cake:
- 3 cups Flour
- 2 ½ cups Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 tablespoon Baking Soda
- 1 ½ cups Dark Cocoa Powder
- 1 ½ cups Milk of Choice
- 3 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 4 Eggs
- 1 ½ cups Warm Water
- 2 teaspoon Instant Coffee, optional
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
Peanut Butter Buttercream:
- 1 cup Crunchy Peanut Butter, Creamy works too!
- 3 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
- ½ cup Butter
- ⅓ cup Milk
Strawberry Jelly Sauce:
- 1 ½ cup Strawberries
- ½ cup Sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon Water
Instructions
Buttermilk Chocolate Cake:
- Pre-heat oven to 350°.
- In a glass measuring cup mix together your milk of choice and the apple cider vinegar and set aside.
- In an extra large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix thoroughly.
- Mix the eggs, warm water, olive oil, vanilla, and the milk you had set aside in a medium bowl. (If you are adding the instant coffee- mix with warm water first until dissolved).
- Combine all the ingredients together in the large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined- about 2-3 minutes.
- Divide between 3 buttered and flour dusted 9-inch cake pans and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let them cool completely before frosting.
Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting:
- While the cakes are cooling beat all of the frosting ingredients together with an electric mixer until velvety and combined completely.
- When the cakes are cooled completely and the jelly sauce has been put in the layers apply the frosting all over either with a piping bag first (much easier) or with a spatula and enjoy!
Strawberry Jelly Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, add the strawberries, water, and sugar and cook on medium heat stirring constantly.
- Bring to a low boil and cook for a few minutes more continuing to stir as it thickens.
- Take it off the heat and let it cool completely before using on the cakes. (It will thicken a bit while cooling as well).
- When ready, use a large spoon to spread over the layers of chocolate cake.
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