Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Cake Layers
1 ½ cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups boiling water
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
½ cup (1 1/2 ounces) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups packed (10 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup sour cream, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
1 recipe Peanut Butter Buttercream
Decoration
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 recipe Homemade Candied Peanuts
|
Directions: |
Directions:FOR THE CAKE LAYERS: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line pans with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. In second bowl, whisk boiling water, chocolate, cocoa, and espresso powder until smooth.
Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with chocolate mixture in 2 additions, scraping down bowl as needed. Give batter final stir by hand.
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking.
Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.
FOR THE FROSTING: Place 1 cake layer on plate or pedestal. Spread 1 cup buttercream evenly over top, right to edge of cake. Repeat with second cake layer and 1 cup buttercream. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining buttercream over top and sides of cake.
FOR THE DECORATION: Microwave chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in bowl at 50 percent power until melted, about 1 minute, stirring with rubber spatula halfway through microwaving. Stir mixture until fully combined and smooth. Let cool until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour ¼ cup chocolate glaze in center of cake and spread evenly over top with offset spatula. Drizzle ¼ cup glaze along top edge of cake, allowing it to drip down sides. Pour remaining glaze over top of cake and smooth into even layer with offset spatula. Arrange 10 (1-tablespoon) clusters of candied peanuts around top edge of cake, evenly spaced. Let sit until glaze sets, about 20 minutes. Serve. |
This recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake is from