Simple Frosting Technique

My most requested cake.

Hands down, my most requested cake is my Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Filling and Chocolate Buttercream.

I think people like it because it's not too fussy. It's just a great made from scratch cake that highlights the winning combination of peanut butter and dark chocolate.

What also makes it special is the homey frosting technique I use to put it together.

It's pretty but not fancy schmancy. It looks like something that came out of grandma's kitchen and it's easy to do.  There's no piping required.

Here's how to do it in five easy steps and the recipe:

Step 1: Make a cake and let someone lick the bowl.

Step 2: After the cakes have baked and cooled, stack them with the peanut butter filling and chill again before frosting.

Step 3: Frost the cake starting from the top and working your way down. A spinning cake stand isn't necessary but makes the job easier.

Step 4: Use your spatula to pull lines of frosting up the side of the cake. Don't worry about it being perfect just start and work your way around the cake.

Step 5: That was easy and looks great. Now you just need some crushed peanuts and dark chocolate for the top and your cake is done.

  
"The Greatest and Easiest" Chocolate Cake
with Peanut Butter Filling
and Chocolate Buttercream 
Cake:
3 1/3 cups flour
1 1/3 cups cocoa powder
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoons salt
12 ounces butter
3 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. (Note: For my cake, I used 2 round 8-inch pans that were 4 inches deep.)

Place all ingredients in electric mixer bowl and beat on high speed for 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl once during mixing. Pour into prepared pans. Bake cakes for about 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.


Peanut Butter Filling:
1 1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk

In a mixing bowl, whip peanut butter and butter together. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Finally add milk and beat just until the filling comes together and is spreadable. Don't over beat.

Chocolate Buttercream:

3 large egg whites
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of fine sea salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder, dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water, cooled
1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces, melted and cooled

Place the whites in a clean mixing bowl. Whisk in sugar and cream of tartar.

Place bowl over a double boiler on medium heat, stir frequently until the mixture is very hot (120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit).

Move to mixer and whip whites on high for 2 to 3 minutes; turn down to medium low until cool (use the bowl as your guide).

In a separate bowl with a wooden spoon, stir butter to soften.

With mixer on medium/high speed, add the butter one tablespoon at a time, adding the next tablespoon just as the previous one is blended in. Once all the butter incorporated, add in vanilla, salt, coffee and chocolate whip on high speed until fluffy.

Garnish:
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, crushed
3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped fine

To Assemble:

Once cakes have cooled, set one layer on a serving platter and top with 1/2 the peanut butter filling. 

Add the second layer and top with the remaining filling. Chill the cake until the filling is set.

Frost with the chocolate buttercream and garnish with the peanuts and dark chocolate.