Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
Fluffy, creamy, and packed with big flavor, this Peanut Butter Sheet Cake is the ultimate indulgence for peanut butter lovers everywhere!
Light, fluffy, and a peanut butter lovers’ dream, this Peanut Butter Sheet Cake will easily become one of your new favorite desserts! This homemade cake is packed with peanut butter and topped with a creamy peanut butter cocoa frosting that will completely change your life forever!
PEANUT BUTTER HEAVEN ON EARTH
I know that there are a lot of peanut butter dessert options out there and competition is fierce! But trust me when I say that this moist chocolate peanut butter sheet cake recipe is a gift from heaven.
Since you can never really have enough peanut butter in your life, try this easy No Bake Peanut Butter Pie or classic Homemade Peanut Butter Cups!
OTHER RECIPES TO SERVE WITH PEANUT BUTTER SHEET CAKE
- Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream – The only way to one-up this peanut butter cake is to serve it a la mode with this homemade ice cream!
- Homemade Dog Treats – The only creature I know who loves peanut butter as much as I do is my dog. These treats are a great way to spoil your pup
INGREDIENTS
Cake Batter Dry Ingredients: You will need cake flour and light brown sugar. You’ll also want to grab baking powder and salt from the cupboard.
Cake Batter Wet Ingredients: For the batter, grab whole milk and creamy peanut butter. You will also need softened unsalted butter, vegetable oil, vanilla extract. and large eggs.
Frosting Ingredients: This creamy frosting consists of unsalted butter and creamy peanut butter mixed with unsweetened cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and heavy cream.
HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER SHEET CAKE
STEP ONE: Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and greasing a 9-inch x13-inch pan with cooking spray. Next, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set that bowl aside.
STEP TWO: Move over to the stand mixer or grab a hand mixer and a large bowl. Then combine the brown sugar and softened unsalted butter until the mixture is light and fluffy. Now add the vanilla extract and oil to the stand mixer and mix until they are well combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Let the mix return to a light and fluffy state. Next, add in the peanut butter and mix until it is combined. Now add the eggs in, one at a time.
STEP THREE: To finish the batter, begin adding in the flour in three parts, alternating with the milk. Make sure to start and end with the flour mixture. When adding the final third of the flour, finish mixing it by hand. Then pour the peanut butter sheet cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake it in the oven for 28-32 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
STEP FOUR: For the frosting, beat together the butter and peanut butter. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the cocoa powder. Once those ingredients are combined, add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time mixing it slowly as you go. Slowly add in the heavy cream with the mixer running on low until the ingredients are incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip the frosting for about 2 minutes to give it the perfect light and fluffy consistency. Then spread the frosting over the cooled cake
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Make sure to let your cake fully cool before frosting it. This fluffy frosting will melt into a puddle if the cake is too warm.
- This cake is perfectly peanut buttery, but not overly sweet on its own. The frosting adds the right amount of sweetness and an extra kick of peanut butter flavor!
HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES A SHEET CAKE FEED
I feel like there is really no real answer to this question- especially when it comes to the best peanut butter sheet cake ever! This cake will bake in a standard 9×13 pan which can typically yield between 12 and 20 slices. In my house, let’s be real, we like our slices on the bigger side. Although I have cut this cake into small squares when serving it in pot luck settings. Smaller pieces allow guests to be more inclined to try a little of everything.
HOW LONG DOES CAKE LAST IN THE FRIDGE
If there are any leftover pieces of cake, store them in the fridge in an airtight container. Refrigerated peanut butter cake will last up to a week. When I’m ready to enjoy a piece that has been in the fridge I let it come up to room temperature first. This way the frosting regains some of its fluffy texture.
OTHER STELLAR CAKE RECIPES
- Pumpkin Toffee Poke Cake
- Snickers Chocolate Cake
- Lemon-Lime Layer Cake
- Texas Sheet Cake
- Butterfinger Cake
Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 12 Reese's peanut butter cups for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-inch x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer) combine the brown sugar and butter together until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and oil to the mixing bowl and mix until combined. Once combined, increase the speed to medium-high until the batter is once again light and fluffy.
- Add the peanut butter and mix until combined. Add the eggs one at a time.
- Add the flour in 3 parts, alternating with the milk, starting and finishing with the flour. Once the final part of flour is ready to be added, finish mixing by hand to prevent over mixing the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.
- Prepare the frosting by creaming together the butter and peanut butter with a paddle attachment. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the cocoa powder and mix until fully combined.
- Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing slowly between each addition until incorporated. Slowly add in the heavy cream with the mixer running on low speed until incorporated then increase speed to medium-high and whip for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake before cutting it into 12 slices. Place 1 unwrapped Reese's peanut butter cup on each slice for garnish, if desired.
