Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake

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The Crazy Cooking Challenge is hosted by Tina over at Mom's Crazy Cooking. I almost opted out of this months challenge. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Chocolate Cake and so does my husband. The idea of baking a regular sized cake for two people, both trying to lose weight, had me balking a little bit. Also, I don't use flour, not due to health or diet reasons just the last time I ran out I never bought anymore. That's been about a year and a half ago and we haven't missed it. Two things happened to change my mind. First I found this recipe, it uses a cake mix, so no flour involved, and who can resist chocolate and peanut butter?! Second it turns out we were going to be in Bastrop longer than expected waiting for a gate to guard. So I had a great idea: bake the cake while in Bastrop and take it over to my baby sister's house to enjoy with her family. She has five kids plus our oldest nephew lives with her and of course her hubby. So with that crew plus John and I, wiping out this cake was not a problem. 

I found this recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake over at The Farm Girl. The only changes I made to her recipe were substituting liquid eggs for whole eggs and the pan size - she used two 9 inch round pans. I did not have 9 inch pans so I was originally going to use 8 inch round pans. Then I spent too much time thinking about it and went looking through my pans and decided to try something a little different - one 10x10 square pan and one 8 inch round pan.

Cake:

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix

1 small box chocolate instant pudding

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup water

1 1/4 cups liquid eggs or 5 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 T vanilla

1 cup peanut butter chips

Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 t salt

1 t vanilla extract

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 12 oz bag Reese's Peanut Butter cups minus two peanut butter cups - couldn't resist, chopped and chilled for 1/2 hour in freezer

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray a 10x10 inch square pan and an 8 inch round cake pan with non-stick spray then coat with unsweetened cocoa powder.  In large bowl mix all cake ingredients, except peanut butter chips, with electric mixer for 2-3  minutes. 

Stir in peanut butter chips and pour into your prepared pans.  Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes for the square pan and about 35 minutes for the round pan. Let cool in pans 10 minutes and then remove from pans and let completely cool on cooling rack.

While cake is cooling make frosting.   In medium bowl whip butter and peanut butter until smooth and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.  Add salt, vanilla, whipping cream and 1 cup of powdered sugar.  Beat well and continue to add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

To make cake, place square on cake stand or plate.  Spread top with 1 cup frosting.  Add the round cake to the top.  Spread the rest of frosting on sides and top of chocolate cake.  Carefully press chopped peanut butter cups into frosting and chill for 3-4 hours, or overnight, before serving.  Enjoy!

Check out all the amazing cakes in this month's challenge below.