You’re going to love this chocolate peanut butter cake! It’s a wonderful combination of flavors in every fluffy and delicious slice and we can’t stop raving about it around here, and soon, you’ll see why.
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Why I Love This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Made from scratch with just a few basic ingredients, we end up with a rich and indulgent cake that’s worthy of any occasion. The cake is soft, fluffy, moist, and so flavorful that you can’t help but to want another slice. So put the kids to bed early and slice another piece off for yourself as you kick up your feet. You earned it.
Chocolate and peanut butter are a flavor-packed combination that has been winning team challenges together for years and years. Nothing beats the sweet and rich chocolate mixed with savory creamy peanut butter, except for cake. There’s always room for cake and in this chocolate and peanut butter cake, we are always winning.
What Is Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake?
This cake is an egg-free and dairy-free recipe made just like those wacky depression-era cakes you may have heard of. It is made simply by mixing a few ingredients together. Trusting vinegar and baking soda to be the leavening agents, and cooking oil for the fats instead of butter, we get fluffy and moist results without too much of a hassle.
This cake is easy for novice bakers and even kids to help us with because it’s so simple and easy to make. All you need to do is measure out some ingredients into a bowl and whisk together until smooth. There’s no creaming, beating, or mile-long list of steps, making this cake not only easy to prepare but fast too! Pull out this recipe anytime you have last-minute guests you want to impress. They’ll think you planned it all day long. 😉
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Granulated sugar
- Olive oil
- Vinegar
- Vanilla extract
- Water
- Peanut butter
For the exact measurements please see the recipe card below.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and sugar.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in the olive oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water.
- Whisk together until combined.
- Pour the batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish.
- Dot the surface with peanut butter and then swirl the peanut butter into the batter. A butter knife or toothpick can do this pretty well.
- Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
- Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Substitutions
Vinegar: You can use white vinegar, red balsamic vinegar, or apple cider vinegar depending on what you have on hand. That said, red vinegar or cider vinegar will help to enhance the flavors of the chocolate within the cake.
Recipe Tips
Olive oil: While other oils can be used in place of the olive oil (like canola or vegetable oil) please keep in mind that the flavor and texture may differ because not every oil will give the same tasting results.
What to serve with fudgy chocolate peanut butter cake: This cake would go great served with a tall glass of cold milk, a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream, or peanut butter buttercream frosting over the top of the cake.
FAQs
This recipe is vegan as-written because it contains no butter, milk, or eggs.
Cover the pan of cake with plastic wrap or foil once cooled and keep stored in the fridge or at room temperature for up to a week. If you add frosting to the cake make sure to keep it stored in the fridge to help to prevent the frosting from spoiling. If you plan on leaving the cake as-is then it’s fine to hold at room temperature for the 5-7 days shelf life that it has.
This cake freezes very well for up to 3 months if kept well covered in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. If wrapping in plastic, make sure to wrap it well with at least 2 layers. This will help to prevent freezer burn from happening to the cake. Freezer burn is something that will cause the cake to lose flavor and texture making the thawed cake results not as wonderful as you’d like.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and sugar.3 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup cocoa, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 cups sugar
- Create a well in the dry ingredients and add the olive oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water.¾ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 cups water
- Whisk until combined.
- Pour into a greased 9x13 baking pan.
- Dot the surface with the peanut butter. Swirl in the peanut butter.½ cup peanut butter
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition
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cheri guthrie
have not made but for people who only follow directions the problem is you did not put the sugar in the directions, the average baker would know on this type of recipe to mix all dry mix all wet and add together swirl the peanut butter and bake You might want to fix that
Melissa G
Thanks for catching this! The recipe and instructions have been updated.
Tina
Is it better to use natural peanut butter or the kind with sugar added?
Alli
I did not use natural peanut butter when I tested this recipe, just the regular stuff.
Alli
Delicious and easy cake!