Chocolate Peanut Butter Marble Cake

It's been awhile! I have been wanting to bake for weeks, but I couldn't find anytime with school.

Though I didn't have any special occasion, I decided I really wanted to bake a cake (must be all that pent up baking desire, hah). I found this awesome recipe for a chocolate peanut butter cake, and that being one of my all-time favorite flavor combinations, it was settled- plus it helped that I had every ingredient on hand.

Oh. My. Goodness. This cake is easily one of the best things that I have ever put in my mouth! The frosting is honestly out-of-this-world- so creamy and luxurious, yet somehow still light and fluffy! I ate a good 1/4 cup of it while frosting the cake- be careful with this stuff guys... It's dangerously addictive. The actual cake itself is definitely something to behold on its own. It's soft but not too crumbly, and the peanut butter cake and chocolate cake mix together to form a heavenly, familiar combo.

Basically what I'm saying is that you simply must make this cake to truly grasp the pure ecstasy that is this dessert- you don't even need a holiday or occasion to make it; I didn't! 
(By the way, you are DEFINITELY going to want a glass of milk handy while chowing down on this.)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Marble Cake

recipe by Sugar Plum

makes 10 servings

ingredients:

cake:

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

frosting:

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Dutch-processed because that's what I had on time)
• scant 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

• bag of mini chocolate chips to garnish

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans; set aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 5 minutes. Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternately add in the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
5. Remove half of the batter and place in another bowl. Beat the peanut butter into one half, and the melted chocolate into the other half.
6. Pour the peanut butter mixture into half of each prepared pan, then divide the chocolate mixture between the other sides of the pans. Using a butter knife, swirl the batters together. There's no "right" way, so have fun!
7. Bake the cakes for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (mine took 32 minutes). Cool for about 10 minutes before turning the cakes onto a wore rack to cool completely.

For the frosting:

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, salt and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. Boil for about 1 minute until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the mixture (with a sieve) into a small bowl and then cool completely. I just popped mine in the freezer for a bit.
2. Beat the butter in a medium-sized bowl until creamy. Add in the cooked flour/cocoa mixture and beat until combined. Finally add in the melted chocolate and beat until combined.
3. Spread the frosting onto the cake layers. I added some mini chocolate chips in between the two layers, and then pressed some onto the sides of the cake- it added a great crunch!

*This cake is much easier to slice after a trip to the fridge!