Thursday, January 31, 2008

Celebration Cake

Just before Christmas. a friend was rushed to the hospital. It was a sudden emergency and there was a much anxiety and many prayers before we heard that he was getting better and coming home. To celebrate I wanted to make him a welcome home cake, but obviously a standard, boring cake would not suffice for an occasion of this magnitude. This had to be a champagne corks popping, fireworks going off in the sky kind of cake. I knew peanut butter and chocolate rocked his world, so I had an excuse to make this wonderful, extravagant cake I'd had in my files for a couple of years. It's got a brownie base, creamy peanut butter filling, and decadent dark ganache covering it all. What's not to love?

It's actually not that difficult to make and the steps can be stretched out over a couple of days, so I made it again for a bridal shower party for my daughter. It was a huge hit and many of the guests asked, "Is this on your blog?" Well, it is now, ladies. So get out your mixers, loosen your belts and get ready for:

Peanut Butter Celebration Cake!
adapted from a recipe on the Nestle website

Brownie base-
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 oz bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

PB layer-
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Ganache-
12 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate*, chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp peanut butter chips
3 Tbsp milk chocolate chips

1- Click here to get into the proper mood.

2- Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; grease.

3- Put butter and 3 oz chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute on high and stir to melt. Set aside to cool.

4 - Combine the eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, melted butter and chocolate, vanilla extract and salt. Stir till smooth and pour into prepared pan.



5 - Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of cake; cool for an additional 10 minutes. Invert cake onto serving platter. Remove pan and parchment; cool completely.

6- For peanut butter layer beat peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract in medium bowl until combined, either by hand or with an electric mixer. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Spread mixture on cake. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.

7 - For the ganache, heat cream in small saucepan to boiling; remove from heat. Add semi-sweet morsels; let stand 5 minutes. Stir; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until mixture is spreadable. Spread chocolate on top and sides of cake. It will seem like a lot, but pile it on and smooth it out. It'll work.

8 - Melt peanut butter and milk chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave on high in intervals of 30 seconds, stirring after each interval. When the chips are melted and combined, spoon the mixture into a zip-loc plastic bag, close the bag, and snip off a tiny piece from one corner. Drizzle this mixture over the cake in a decorative pattern.

* I used bittersweet chocolate. The peanut butter layer is sweet and I liked the bittersweet and sweet playing off each other. If you're not a fan of bittersweet, use semi-sweet.




This is my entry for the Death By Chocolate Contest. If you like it, please vote for me!




39 comments:

Chelsea said...

I was looking for an interesting desert to share with friends this weekend and I think this is perfect. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

It is a lovely celebration cake!
It's bootiful, just bootiful... as Bernard Matthews says on the advertisment here.

Lady Di said...

Having been privvy to it last night, I have to say it was really good, and coming from a non-peanut butter person, that is saying a lot!

Anonymous said...

I actually didn't get a taste of that one but it was fun to finally get to sample some of your marvelous baking rather than just drooling at the amazing pictures. It was also very fun getting to meet you last night.

I'm sorry that I forgot to take you up on your offer for that loaf of bread. The slices I munched during the party were delicious!

:D

**doffs her cap and vanishes**

Anonymous said...

Your blog is delightful! I love how you write and I love your recipes! This one looks worthy of a special celebration! Thanks for sharing!

Melanie said...

Wow! This is right up my husband's alley (ok, who are we kidding...I would really be making it for me) - can't wait to try it.

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Lynn, I'm quite relieved to read that your friend is okay, and that you were able to bake this decadent, luscious welcome-home/celebration cake for him - fantastic!!

Aimée said...

Wow, such a decadent cake, Lynn. Oh chocolate and peanut butter? You know I am hooked!

Renee said...

Whew...looks mighty tasty! Congratulations on both your friend's improved health and your daughter's engagement!

Cheryl said...

Wow, does that look good. Peanut butter and chocolate really is the perfect combination.

Kelly said...

Oh wow. What's not to love, indeed? Thanks for the recipe - I can't wait for an occasion to make this!

Diane said...

Oh this sounds so good. I'm addicted to Reese's peanut butter cups, so this is the perfect cake for me.

Jessica "Su Good Sweets" said...

This is genius! I love PB & chocolate.

Nora B. said...

It's good to hear that your fiend is getting better.

This is a wonderfully decadent cake! wow!

Anonymous said...

I am in the process of making a chocolate peanut butter cake as I type :) What can I say? Great minds must think alike.

Peabody said...

Oh wow! My hubby would love me even more if I made this for him.

Jerry said...

Everyone is saying how their loved one would love this. The question is do I use it for a birthday cake?

Brilynn said...

That looks like a celebration cake and then some! Awesome!

The Downtown Boutique said...

OH YUM! That looks amazing! I think I'm going to have to try this one...we LOVE peanut butter and chocolate together!

Susan @ SGCC said...

Holy peanut butter! That is an amazing looking cake! I can almost taste it by osmosis. I'm bookmarking this one for sure.

Marcia said...

Lynn, this cake is absolutely incredible! Congratulations!

Anonymous said...

I doubt that it gets any BETTER than that!

Beautiful post, and my wife E and I thank you.

Anonymous said...

This cake looks so good! I am totally craving it now, thanks! Why are the best two flavors in the world chocolate and peanut butter? Thanks for sharing such a great recipe! I'll have to try it sometime!

RecipeGirl said...

Looks completely yummy and decadent!!

JEP said...

Nothin' better than a peanut butter & chocolate combo!

Anonymous said...

I love this so much that I made it part of the Chocolate Carnival I am hosting over at my blog...I sent readers to your post for the recipe!

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

What's not to love here Lynn? How about how I'll feel when I eat all I can keep away from Gorn!!
That is love, piled upon celebration, piled upon love and then ...
Beautiful!!!

Katie Zeller said...

I could just move into that dessert and live there...
I could eat that 3 times a day, no problem....
I could..
You must keep that away from me... I'm going to dream about it....

Anonymous said...

Celebration cake, indeed! You're right, such a big occasion called for a special cake and this looks like it takes the cake - how marvellous! *loosens belt in anticipation* ;)

Anonymous said...

That peanut butter layer has my mouth watering! Mmmmm!

Helene said...

Wow! This is a beauty! What a nice thing to make or a friend! Fabulous entry!

Suzana said...

Wow, that's a luscious (deathly) cake!! Great entry, Lynn.

Eva said...

Although I'm not really a peanut butter lover (not common in Germany at all), I just love the photo with the shadow of the fork! I'm just about to vote for you..!

test it comm said...

A peanut butter and chocolate cake with a brownie base...mmm...

Big Boys Oven said...

this layered brownie is superb! Something I will try making!

Nikki57 said...

Wow that looks amazing!

Nina Timm said...

My first visit to your site, love the celebration cake. Can only imagine the damage it will do to the weight.

Love your blog.

Thanks
Nina

Kelly said...

I gotta tell you, I made this for my family for Valentine's day and - oh, man. I didn't have peanut butter chips so I skipped the decorative drizzle, but still - oh, man. It was so decadent, my food-obsessed family had to cut it into 16ths instead of our regular 8ths and - oh, man.

I think that's about all I have to say. Thanks for the recipe!

Roxie said...

Okay, I've SO found my birthday cake! Thanks so much for this FABULOUS looking cake recipe! I can't wait for my birthday now! :D