Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Jana

Chocolate cake with peanut butter filling and chocolate ganache frosting

ingredients

Cake Layers
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
Peanut Butter Filling: (you can probably 1/2 this recipe b/c it makes too much for a filling)
1 cup chunky peanut butter (do not use natural or old-fashioned)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ganache Frosting (you can probably get away with 1/2 the recipe, it does make a lot of frosting)
1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans (if you use smaller round pans you will have extra batter)

directions

1
Make cake layers:
2
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
3
Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
4
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. (more like 1 hour)
5
Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
6
For Filling:
7
Using electric mixer, beat peanut butter and 1/4 cup butter in medium bowl to blend. Beat in powdered sugar, and salt, then milk and vanilla. Spread in between layers
8
For Ganache Frosting:
9
Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
10
Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).
11
Spread frosting over top and sides.
12
Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.