Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bundt Cake
- Total Time
- 2½ hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:One 10-inch cake
- ¾cup/180 grams smooth peanut butter (not natural)
- ½cup/115 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
- ⅓cup/75 grams light or dark brown sugar
- 1large egg, at room temperature
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼teaspoon fine sea salt
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1cup/95 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the pan
- 1cup/240 milliliters boiling water
- 1cup/240 milliliters cold buttermilk
- 1cup/225 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
- ½cup/120 milliliters neutral oil, like vegetable or canola
- 2cups/400 grams granulated sugar
- 4large eggs, at room temperature
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3cups/385 grams all-purpose flour
- 1¼teaspoons baking powder
- ¾teaspoon baking soda
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼cup/60 milliliters heavy cream, plus more as needed
- ¼cup/60 grams smooth peanut butter (not natural)
- ½cup/60 grams confectioners’ sugar
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- ⅓cup/80 milliliters heavy cream
- ⅓cup/55 grams chopped bar semisweet chocolate
For the Peanut Butter Cake
For the Chocolate Bundt
For the Peanut Butter Glaze
For the Chocolate Glaze
Preparation
- Step 1
Make the peanut butter filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the peanut butter, cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Step 2
Add the egg and vanilla and mix on medium speed until fully incorporated. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed to combine. Scrape the mixture into a large resealable plastic bag (or pastry bag) and set aside. (Alternatively, you can scrape the mixture into a medium bowl.) If necessary, rinse and dry the paddle attachment and bowl before proceeding.
- Step 3
Make the cake: Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick spray. Add a few spoonfuls of cocoa powder into the pan and tap it around until the pan is fully coated in cocoa.
- Step 4
Place 1 cup/95 grams cocoa powder in a medium heat-safe bowl, and pour the boiling water over it. Whisk well to combine, then add the buttermilk and whisk to combine.
- Step 5
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Step 6
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed until fully incorporated and scraping the bowl between each addition. Add the vanilla and mix on low speed to combine.
- Step 7
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Add about a third of this mixture to the mixer and mix on low speed to combine.
- Step 8
Add half of the cocoa-buttermilk mixture to the mixer and mix on low speed to combine. Continue to alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients until the batter is uniformly combined.
- Step 9
Pour about ⅔ of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Cut a 1-inch opening from one of the bottom corners of the bag and squeeze the peanut butter filling into the pan, making a ring in the center of the chocolate batter aiming not to touch the outer edge or inner tube of the pan. Alternatively, you can gently spoon the peanut butter mixture on top of the chocolate batter, aiming to create a ring shape.
- Step 10
Pour the remaining chocolate cake batter on top of the peanut butter filling and gently spread into an even layer. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour or up to 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Step 11
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use a small offset spatula to gently loosen the cake at the edges and around the inner tube, and invert it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Step 12
Make the peanut butter glaze: Heat the cream in a small pot to a simmer. In a small heat-safe bowl, mix the peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar to combine, then add the hot cream, and mix until smooth. It should be thick but still loose enough to drizzle easily.
- Step 13
Make the chocolate glaze: Heat the cream in the small pot to a simmer. Place the chocolate in a medium heat-safe bowl, then pour the hot cream over it. Stir until the mixture is totally smooth. It will be thinner than the peanut butter glaze.
- Step 14
Place the cake on the cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Spoon half of the chocolate glaze over the cake, letting it drip down the sides, then spoon half of the peanut butter glaze on top. Repeat this process with the remaining glaze, and use the back of the spoon to gently swirl where the two glazes meet in a few spots. Gently remove the cake and transfer to a serving platter. Allow the glaze to set at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Andrea
Looking at the food stylist's photo, I see that the peanut butter tube is at the TOP of the cake. My son just realized that in order to get the peanut butter tube at the top, you have to do the opposite of what the recipe says: put 1/3 of the batter in the pan, then the peanut butter, then the other 2/3 of the batter. That way, when you invert the pan to cool and serve, the peanut butter will be closer to the top of the finished cake. Delicious nonetheless!!
Janet H.
It is great when people make the recipe and then comment on their results, instead of useless editorial quips about calories, butter, blah blah.....Using tips from others, I subsituted coffee for the water, sour cream for the buttermilk, and used all butter instead of butter and oil. I had an oversized bundt pan which accomodated all of the batter, and filled it as stated in the recipe. Perfect! Great recipe, thank you to all who prepared and commented with feedback.
JB
For the peanut butter step, I used a cookie scoop! So much easier, less waste, no clean up.
Sandi
This peanut butter filling is just what I need to swirl into chocolate brownies! And I expect I’ll try the cake too!!
Andrea
I think I whipped the butter, oil, and sugar too much as it got really big. This makes a ton of batter. No way did it fit in my Bundt. It also broke apart when I tried to get it out of the pan. All of these problems were my fault though. Be careful to grease your Bundt correctly. Whoever is contemplating making this cake should definitely do so. I’m having a very ugly but very delicious piece of cake right now.The reviewer that said they used a cookie scoop to place the filling is a genius.
Kace
Somewhat esoteric note on baking: As much as you might be tempted to let your 6 yr old play with the PB in a ziplock bag like bagged slime while you put the rest of the cake together, don't because the oil will separate!
Annie
Made this yesterday-really a delicious cake-the chocolate cake would be great as a stand-alone recipe. The PB glaze also awesome. I did have one comment-I had way too much chocolate batter for my 10-inch bundt pan, so made a small separate chocolate cake. I think this recipe would also be great in cupcake form. My chocolate glaze was a tad too thin so I added a bit more chocolate to get the right consistency. Showstopper.
Lois
I substituted the buttermilk with sour cream. It made for a very moist, yet fluffy cake. I also added a dash of cinnamon to bring out the chocolate flavor. Although the recipe appears a tad involved, it's rather full proof and the final result is very impressive.
I Just Made This Cake!
I read the notes and quickly forgot them. No... Natural peanut butter that doesn't need stirred does not work! Found that out... also, the Peanut butter cake sinks in the pan, so that's why you you fill it 2/3 full before adding it. Luckily I stuck to the recipe on that and it worked awesome. Last but not least, if you don't have a 10 cup bundt pan, just a normal size one, scoop 12 cupcakes first, then use the rest of the dough for the cake. Yum and EEEE
julia
Usually I would consider this recipe too fussy, but I made it last night because I wanted something complicated to take my mind off the world. I halved the recipe and made it as cupcakes (about 20 minutes at 325). Really tasty although pretty crumbly. Maybe the texture would have been better as a bundt after all.
Rob of the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania
I followed the recipe except for the addition of the peanut butter mixture, using a NSF #40 cookie scoop. I believe, as Kace stated below, that adding using a #40 makes it easier with no waste. WARNING for anyone who treasures their bundt pan, do NOT use cooking spray, it'll damage the non-stick surface. Instead butter the inside thoroughly, then sprinkle with Caster sugar (superfine) and then dust with the unsweetened cocoa powder. I also would recommend having a half-sheet beneath bundt pan.
skullgirl8
This cake is delicious! But the recipe needs help. I took the advice of others here. I used a large spring form pan with a tube insert instead of a bundt because this is a lot of batter. I used hot coffee instead of water. This cake took almost 90 minutes in the oven before a cake tester came out clean. The glazes also needed adjusting, peanut was too thin and chocolate too thick. The result was dense, and tasty but very crumbly. Would make again but would half the recipe.
philly girl
Disaster! Stuck to the pan despite trying multiple efforts to remove it. Somewhat dry and crumbly. Looked like an exploded volcano with the side caving in. Not to be repeated.
Jennie
This cake was a major commitment of time, energy, dishes, and utensils. I didn't have the problems many others had; the batter fit fine in my pan, the cake came out in one beautiful piece, and the bake time was right on. However, the pb center had an off-putting texture and flavor--we all left it on the side of our plates. And the glazes just rolled off the cake, the ganache in particular. The chocolate cake though? Really tender and tasty.
Jeb
Cake texture is not great. Dense and dry. Almost sticks in your throat. Peanut butter cake strangely tasteless. A lot of work for a not very satisfying result.
J
The chocolate cake is excellent, still super moist after 3 days on the counter. I must have made a mistake somewhere, because the peanut butter cake was rubbery and didn’t taste all that peanut butter-y. I’ll definitely make just the chocolate cake again!
mary f
I spent three hours making this cake! And then I made the mistake of trying to move it from the rack into a serving dish… Where to the wise. Don’t. Just don’t. The thing fell apart! Y’all I spent 10 minutes swirling so that the glaze looks perfect. And then the cake fell apart. It’s one of the most delicious things on earth though.
Jaimee
Absolutely delicious. Did Nutella instead of peanut butter. BUT mine sadly broke apart when I flipped it. I think it needed to cool a little longer before the flip! Coworkers and I devoured it though. Trust your gut with bundt cakes. If you think it needs more grease, do it. If you think it needs more time, give it those extra 5. Worth trying!
Madeline
FYI, this makes a tonnn of chocolate batter. I filled one 9.5-in bundt pan, one 9-in springform cake pan, and a small 5-in springform pan with it. I doubled the PB batter ingredients to fill them all and also to do a double PB layer on the main bundt (I just prefer more PB flavor). Like some other people, I think less cooking time for a moister cake.
sheila
This worked out amazing even with gluten- and dairy- free substitutions! Amazingly good ! Changed nothing except substituted Betty Crocker rice flour fir the wheat flour and made my own buttermilk with soy milk and lemon juice. Substitutes non dairy butter with Earth Balance.
nfraas
Fabulous, keeper recipe!
Glenda
I made this exactly as written it was fantastic. The peanut butter/cream cheese cake in the middle looked just like the photo. A very impressive attractive cake with the two glazes, and the flavor was outstanding. I will definitely make it again.
Susie
The cake was not done (with a clean toothpick test) until 80 mins and when we ate it the next day the cake was very dry. Disappointing given how much time it takes to bake this. It tasted nice—not overly sweet—but not moist and not worth making again. I wish I knew what I did wrong, even though I carefully followed the recipe faithfully…
jessie
Don’t recommend this recipe, unfortunately. The texture of the cake is strangely plush and yet dry - the PB part gets stuck in your throat. The ganache recipes are SO RUNNY. I had to scrape them off the platter (even after thickening the PB ganache a bit more) - nothing was on the cake. I whipped up a thick ganache (170g choc, 90g cream in a double boiler) and tried to hide the mess. Don’t waste your time or ingredients on this one.
Rob of the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania
I followed the recipe except for the addition of the peanut butter mixture, using a NSF #40 cookie scoop. I believe, as Kace stated below, that adding using a #40 makes it easier with no waste. WARNING for anyone who treasures their bundt pan, do NOT use cooking spray, it'll damage the non-stick surface. Instead butter the inside thoroughly, then sprinkle with Caster sugar (superfine) and then dust with the unsweetened cocoa powder. I also would recommend having a half-sheet beneath bundt pan.
Patricia Thompson
Peanut butter insert is unremarkable, only value is it adds colour and contrast, but taste wise it adds nothing. I felt it needed to be served with ice cream or cream. Chocolate cake was fine, but I have better recipes for a chocolate Bundt. Would not make again.
Vida
Having read not too glowing reviews for the rather dry cake, I decided to make a different chocolate bundt cake but use the recipe for the peanut butter filling, because I liked the idea and I had high hopes that it would be good. Ultimately, we didn't love the peanut butter cake filling. It was mediocre, and didn't really add anything to the cake other than a color contrast. Taste-wise it was just ok but not great, and actually detracted from the chocolate cake. I'd say this recipe isn't a keep
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