Print
clockclock iconcutlerycutlery iconflagflag iconfolderfolder iconinstagraminstagram iconpinterestpinterest iconfacebookfacebook iconprintprint iconsquaressquares iconheartheart iconheart solidheart solid icon
Square chocolate peanut butter fudge cake with ganache and peanut butter cream

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Dream Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

A rich square chocolate cake with two moist dark chocolate layers, an extra-thick peanut butter fudge cream center, glossy chocolate ganache drips, peanut butter rosettes, and dark chocolate shards.

  • Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

Scale

Dark Chocolate Cake

  • 1 3/4 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (70 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) hot brewed coffee

Thick Peanut Butter Fudge Cream

  • 1 cup (255 g) conventional creamy peanut butter
  • 8 ounces (226 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold heavy whipping cream

Peanut Butter Cream Rosettes

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup (64 g) creamy peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons (23 g) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache Drip

  • 7 ounces (198 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter

Chocolate Decoration

 

  • 3–4 ounces (85–113 g) dark chocolate, broken into irregular shards
  • 1 ounce (28 g) dark chocolate, finely shaved

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch square cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined and free of cocoa lumps.
  3. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
  4. Slowly pour in the hot coffee while gently whisking. The batter will be relatively thin. Divide it evenly between the two prepared pans.
  5. Bake for 25–30 minutes. Begin checking at 25 minutes. A tester inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
  6. Cool the cakes in their pans for 10–15 minutes. Turn them onto wire racks and allow them to cool completely before filling.
  7. For the peanut butter filling, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the peanut butter. Gradually add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt.
  8. In a separate chilled bowl, whip 1/2 cup heavy cream to medium peaks. Gently fold it into the peanut butter mixture. If the filling feels too soft to hold a thick layer, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes.
  9. Place one completely cooled cake layer on a flat serving plate or cake board. If necessary, trim a pronounced dome so the surface is level.
  10. Spread the entire peanut butter filling into a thick, even layer, aiming for approximately 1 1/2 inches of visible filling. Take the filling all the way to the square corners.
  11. Place the second chocolate cake layer on top. Press only very gently to level it. Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 1 hour.
  12. Make the ganache. Put the finely chopped semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until steaming. Pour it over the chocolate and leave untouched for 2 minutes.
  13. Stir slowly until smooth, then mix in the butter. Allow the ganache to cool until it is thick but still slowly pourable. Test one drip before coating the whole cake.
  14. Spread ganache over the top. Carefully encourage irregular drips over the edges rather than completely coating the exposed peanut butter layer.
  15. For the rosettes, whip the cold heavy cream, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until firm enough to hold a piped shape. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
  16. Pipe peanut butter cream rosettes over the ganache. Insert irregular dark chocolate shards between them and scatter a small amount of finely shaved chocolate over the top.
  17. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes before slicing. For clean layers, warm a sharp knife in hot water, wipe it completely dry, cut, and clean the blade between slices.

Notes

  • Do not assemble warm cake layers. Even mild residual warmth can soften this unusually thick peanut butter center.
  • Use conventional creamy peanut butter for more predictable structure. Very runny natural peanut butter can make the filling too soft.
  • Full-fat block cream cheese is preferable to spreadable cream cheese.
  • Do not skip the initial one-hour chill after stacking.
  • The ganache must cool before application. If a test drip runs immediately to the bottom, wait longer.
  • If the peanut butter filling feels soft after mixing, chill it before assembly rather than adding large amounts of extra powdered sugar.
  • Do not press heavily on the upper cake layer.
  • Keep the finished cake refrigerated because its filling contains cream cheese and whipped cream.
  • For the clean visual effect, preserve the very thick tan center, exposed square sides, dark cake layers, chocolate drips, peanut butter rosettes, and irregular chocolate shards.
  • Author: Elian Cove
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Additional/Chill Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://recipesmind.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-fudge-dream-cake/