Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cake

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice as a substitute)
1/2 cup hot water

For the Peanut Butter Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk (or more, as needed for consistency)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Optional Garnish:

Chopped peanuts
Chocolate drizzle

Instructions:

Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or line them with parchment paper.
Make the Cake:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Finally, add the hot water to the batter and mix until smooth. The batter will be thin, but that’s normal.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
Bake the Cake:
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Peanut Butter Frosting:
- While the cake cools, make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and peanut butter until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the milk as needed to achieve your desired frosting consistency.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, then beat until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.
Assemble the Cake:
- Once the cakes are completely cool, place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting on top.
- Add the second layer of cake and frost the top and sides with the remaining peanut butter frosting.
Optional Garnish:
- Garnish with chopped peanuts or drizzle with melted chocolate for an extra touch.
Serve:
- Slice, serve, and enjoy this rich, moist peanut butter cake!

Tips:

Storage: Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate it for up to 1 week.
For Extra Moisture: If you prefer a moister cake, you can brush the cake layers with a simple syrup (1/4 cup sugar dissolved in 1/4 cup water) before frosting.
Add Chocolate: For a chocolate-peanut butter combo, you can drizzle melted chocolate over the frosting or even mix some cocoa powder into the cake batter.