Jeremy's Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday Cake
About a month ago Cookie's husband had a birthday, and I was commissioned to bake him a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. Cookie referenced a cake I made for Joelf's birthday way back when the stooges lived in 3 different states and we would spend a weekend together, just the three of us. This particular weekend we met in Seattle right around Joelf's birthday. I made him a little single layer chocolate cake with this awesome cream cheese peanut butter frosting.
(Wow, that cake was from 4 years ago, and the post? That was from my original Cake Journals, before I had even heard of blogging. That was back in my old apartment, where I used to fall asleep in the kitchen in the middle of the night as I baked. I had dial-up internet, and that photo is from a film camera. And now look at me. So grown up!)
I could have just used the same frosting recipe, but after seeing the chocolate peanut butter cake at Smitten Kitchen, I decided to try hers. I tried to persuade Cookie to let me make the peanut butter ganache too, but she refused.
September 20, 2008
Name of Cake: You Got Your Cream Cheese in My Peanut Butter
Occasion: Jeremy's Birthday
Constituents: two layers chocolate butter cake filled and frosted with cream cheese peanut butter frosting
As you might have guessed, this post is all about the frosting.
It's good frosting, people!
I was most interested in Smitten Kitchen's frosting since the one I used 4 years ago wasn't cream cheesy enough. Plus, that recipe called for all sorts of weird things, like more peanut oil. I still don't understand that. (I didn't mention it in the post, but I didn't add the oil. I mean, seriously.)
I thought about using Deb's posted cake recipe too, but decided against it since she said the cake was so intense. I interpreted that as really rich and sweet, so I opted for RLB's less sweet but seriously satisfying All American Chocolate Butter Cake. I didn't want to kill us with richly sweet, or even sweetly rich desserts.
Where Joelf's frosting from 4 years ago wasn't cream cheesy enough, this frosting was way too cream cheesy and not peanut buttery enough. So that's why I kept adding more peanut butter--totaling about 1.25 cups. Adding all that extra peanut butter changed the consistency of the frosting from creamy to kind of spongy looking.
The frosting was still rich and intense, even though I decreased the sugar to 4 cups. It was probably all that extra peanut butter I added.
The birthday boy munched on that cake for over a week, I think. The stooges, Jeremy, and my parents all helped eat the cake when we first broke into it, but he sure took his time savoring the other half. Good for him.
Happy birthday Jeremy!
(Wow, that cake was from 4 years ago, and the post? That was from my original Cake Journals, before I had even heard of blogging. That was back in my old apartment, where I used to fall asleep in the kitchen in the middle of the night as I baked. I had dial-up internet, and that photo is from a film camera. And now look at me. So grown up!)
I could have just used the same frosting recipe, but after seeing the chocolate peanut butter cake at Smitten Kitchen, I decided to try hers. I tried to persuade Cookie to let me make the peanut butter ganache too, but she refused.
September 20, 2008
Name of Cake: You Got Your Cream Cheese in My Peanut Butter
Occasion: Jeremy's Birthday
Constituents: two layers chocolate butter cake filled and frosted with cream cheese peanut butter frosting
As you might have guessed, this post is all about the frosting.
It's good frosting, people!
I was most interested in Smitten Kitchen's frosting since the one I used 4 years ago wasn't cream cheesy enough. Plus, that recipe called for all sorts of weird things, like more peanut oil. I still don't understand that. (I didn't mention it in the post, but I didn't add the oil. I mean, seriously.)
I thought about using Deb's posted cake recipe too, but decided against it since she said the cake was so intense. I interpreted that as really rich and sweet, so I opted for RLB's less sweet but seriously satisfying All American Chocolate Butter Cake. I didn't want to kill us with richly sweet, or even sweetly rich desserts.
Where Joelf's frosting from 4 years ago wasn't cream cheesy enough, this frosting was way too cream cheesy and not peanut buttery enough. So that's why I kept adding more peanut butter--totaling about 1.25 cups. Adding all that extra peanut butter changed the consistency of the frosting from creamy to kind of spongy looking.
The frosting was still rich and intense, even though I decreased the sugar to 4 cups. It was probably all that extra peanut butter I added.
The birthday boy munched on that cake for over a week, I think. The stooges, Jeremy, and my parents all helped eat the cake when we first broke into it, but he sure took his time savoring the other half. Good for him.
Happy birthday Jeremy!
Wow, great minds think alike. This was on my list of things to make soon! It's good to know that the frosting needs more peanut butter. I think I'll try decreasing the butter while adding more PB...maybe this will improve the texture. I also like your idea of using Rose's cake recipe. I probably won't get around to it until next month, but I'll let you know how the frosting turns out. But I can't believe you weren't allowed to do the ganache! That's just not right...everything is better with ganache.
ReplyDeleteI was pretty disappointed about not being able to make the ganache--I mean its CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER ganache for cryin' out loud. I hope you make it and can report back!
ReplyDeleteHowever, the cake really was rich enough as it was. Let us know how the frosting turns out too!
I was very anxious to view your completed cake. I love chocolate and peanut butter together!
ReplyDeleteSo...what frosting would you prefer to make the next time?
The cake looks scrummy.
Hi Melinda! Hmmm, I think I would go with my 4 year old frosting...only because I can't remember it being so rich. I could be wrong; it was 4 years ago. If I could mail you a chocolate peanut butter cake I would!
ReplyDelete