This gluten free chocolate peanut butter cake is the perfect cake for anyone out there in love with the chocolate and peanut butter flavor combination. Deep chocolate flavors with buttercream peanut butter frosting between two layers covered in a milk chocolate buttercream frosting.
This is the best thing I have ever made. Ever.
Two soft layers of deeply flavored chocolate gluten free cake, with the most amazing, smooth buttercream frosting in not one, but two flavors.
To be honest cakes are a little fancy for me. I don't know how many cakes you will see here on SRB, but I do know that I love to make homemade cakes for my kids birthdays so I am always going to need a go to recipe. So even if you don't love making cakes, you will need a cake recipe some day. So better save this one for later.
This chocolate cake was actually made for my daughters 12th birthday but it was turned into a Harry Potter cake. As soon as I served it to my family and they were blown away at how good it was, I knew my next goal with the cake was to add peanut butter.
My son said this will be his next birthday cake. His birthday 8 months away, but that is the kind of impression this cake leaves on your soul.
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Ingredients and substitutions
My goal is to always use normal gluten free ingredients you can find at the grocery stores, and not have to mix 1392 different flours to have an excellent gluten free texture. This cake is perfect with the flour I used and King Arthur Gluten Free All Purpose Flour is pretty easy to find.
Here is what else you are going to need:
- gluten free all purpose flour (no xanthan gum)
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- water
- eggs
- vanilla
- sugar
- baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- butter
- peanut butter
- powdered sugar
Substitutions
I am going to recommend you do not substitute any ingredients in this recipe. In order to achieve optimal results and the perfect crumb, this recipe works perfect as written. The only thing you can sub is the nut butter.
Expert tips and how to store
The following section is going to be a list of tips I would recommend when making this cake.
- Don't try and put this in a different size pan unless you want to plan on cracks on the top of the cake. I did test this recipe in a large and deep springform pan and it didn't work out without the top splitting due to the top cooking before the inside.
- Prepare the pans well for an easy release. I recommend lightly greasing the bottom and sides of the pan and then using parchment cut to the size of the bottom circle of the pan.
- Your cake should begin to pull away from the sides of the pan when it is finished baking.
- Be sure you are using room temperature eggs
- It is the easiest to ice a cake that has been slightly frozen. I like to place in the freezer for about 30 minutes AFTER it has cooled before icing the cake.
- Weight your ingredients if you can where there are weights (ounces) in the instructions.
How to Store
This cake can be made as listed and then stored in an air tight container at room temperature for a few days or in the fridge for longer.
If you would like to freeze any leftover cake, cut the cake into slices and wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap. Place all the pieces in a freezer proof bag or container. To thaw just remove however many pieces you need and leave in plastic wrap until ready to eat.
If you would like to make the cake ahead of time, I suggest you bake the cake, let cool and then freeze the cake until you are ready to make the remainder of the way with the icing. The cake holds up great for this and it is actually easier to frost if you do it when slightly frozen.
Can I use another nut butter?
This cake does not have to be peanut butter if you or someone you love has an allergy or a love for something like almond butter instead of peanut butter.
Feel free to sub in any nut butter you love the most!
It's time for cake!
Don't forget to come back and let me know how much you loved this cake! Your comments and ratings really help the blog grow! So does sharing this on your favorite social platforms!
Thanks so much for checking out this recipe and take care friends!!
Love chocolate and peanut butter as much as I do? Check out these Gluten Free Buckeye Brownies
PrintRecipe
Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- Total Time: 55
- Yield: 12 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A homemade gluten free chocolate peanut butter cake that no one will know is gluten free. The best texture of two layers of richly flavored chocolate cake with peanut butter butter cream in between. Covered with a creamy buttery milk chocolate buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
Cake
- 8.25 ounces of gluten free all purpose flour (1½ cups + 2 tablespoons) see note
- 1½ cups of sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon of salt
- 2¼ teaspoons of baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter (8 ounces)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 9 ounces** of water (1¼ cup) see note
Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 3 cups of powdered sugar
- 12 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons of milk of choice
Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
- 1½ cups of powdered sugar
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup of smooth, creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons of milk of choice
Instructions
Prepare the cake
- Pre heat oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9 inch cake pans by lightly greasing and cutting round parchment paper circles to fit the bottom of the pan.
- In a medium sauce pan, heat butter, water and cocoa in a pan on medium heat until melted and simmering. Whisk to combine while it is heating. Set aside once it reaches simmering and stir in vanilla. Let cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a mixer, whisk together your dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt until evenly combined.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and beat until just incorporated.
- Slow the mixer and add eggs one at a time. Beat for two minutes on high after egg is added.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans, and bake 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the sides are pulling away from the cake pans. Mine took 30 minutes in my oven. All ovens are different so I recommend you start checking at the 25 minute mark.
- Place baked cakes on a cooling rack to cool. Remove from pan after 20 minutes to cool the remainder of the way before frosting.
Prepare the Milk Chocolate frosting
- In medium mixing bowl or bowl of a mixer cream together your powdered sugar, cocoa and room temperature butter, building from low to high so the powdered sugar does not go everywhere.
- Cream for 2 minutes and then add milk and mix for another another minutes until there are stiff peaks. Set aside.
Prepare the Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
- In medium mixing bowl or bowl of a mixer cream together your powdered sugar and room temperature butter, building from low to high so the powdered sugar does not go everywhere.
- Cream for 2 minutes and then add peanut butter and milk and mix for another minute or until there are stiff peaks. Set aside.
Assemble the Cake
- Cut off the tops of the cakes layers to even them out if desired (I did not do this). Place the bottom layer down and top with peanut butter buttercream frosting. This will be a thick even layer of buttercream.
- Place the top layer on the peanut butter cream frosting and now frost with the milk chocolate buttercream. I like to do a light crumb layer on top and the sides, then start with a thick layer on the sides and then finish with the top. Enjoy!
Notes
- I strongly recommend you to weigh the ingredients if you can (ounce measurements listed). This is by weight not volume and will provide you with the best measurements.
- Ounces for water is weight not volume if you are measuring with a scale.
- If buttercream is too thick, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, if too thin add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: peanut butter chocolate cake, gluten free cake, gluten free peanut butter chocolate cake
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