4. Peanut Butter Cream Chocolate Cake

 “There’s nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate.”- Linda Grayson

This two layer Chocolate Cake was a little surprise gift for our friends T & J on their birthday. This time I tried out a new frosting- the Peanut Butter Buttercream. I decided to go for a recipe that uses very little of natural butter other than the peanut butter. The confectioners’ sugar added sweetness, volume and spreadability to the buttercream for frosting and the peanut butter flavor surprised me by complementing the chocolate cake deliciously. In addition, I learned a new technique of creating scrolls using melted chocolate which went all around the cake. The finishing touches were given by T & J’ s one year old naughty little toddler as he excitedly jumped into the cake...blame it on the lazy scribbles of chocolate on the cake;). Once the candles were blown and we dug into the cake, it was bliss to have one more Birthday and to watch a little face squeal in joy all slathered with cream and chocolate.

Peanut Butter Cream Chocolate Cake 
Serves12-14

Cake:

(Recipe for cake adapted from Ria’s Collection)

1 1/2 cups (195 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (120 ml) + 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

4 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 1/4 cup (250 g) sugar

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peanut butter Buttercream:

1/2 cup (125 g) peanut butter

1/2 cup (58 g) confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk (or as needed)

Chocolate scrolls:

100 g dark chocolate, melted, drawn as scrolls on parchment paper and chilled.

Make the cake:

1. Grease, line with parchment and flour a 9 x 2 inch (23 x 5 cm) round cake pan. Preheat oven to 350^o F (177^o C).

2. Sieve flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl.

3. Warm half the milk in a heat resistant glass bowl, using a microwave. Stir in the cocoa powder to the milk and keep covered.

4. In a bowl, beat butter and sugar on high speed for a minute with a hand mixer. Add the eggs one at a time and beat for 30 seconds each time, till light and fluffy.

5. To the above, add flour mixture and the other half cup of milk alternately and beat till combined.

6. Add the cocoa- milk mixture and vanilla extract and beat for a minute.

7. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 

Make the frosting:

Combine the ingredients together with a hand mixer, taking care to add right quantity of milk for spreadable consistency.

Assemble the cake:

Once the cake cools, place it on a rotating table. Cut it into two equal horizontal halves using a wire cutter. Spread 1/3 of the buttercream between the layers. Use the remaining buttercream to frost the cake. Arrange the chilled chocolate scrolls on the sides of the cake. Throw in few more swirls....have fun!!