The Freshman Cook: Chocolate Peanut Butter Tall Stack Cake

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Not too long ago a friend had a birthday party, and the family asked if I would make the cake. Ha! Of course, I will! I never turn down the opportunity to bake anything. I was pleased as punch that they asked me. The only guidelines they gave me is that my friend loves chocolate and peanut butter. Well, yeah, who doesn’t?! So I got busy baking, and I came up with a cake that was a big success.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tall Stack Cake

Cake Decorations

Mini Reese’s Cups

Peanut Brittle

Party Peanuts

Chocolate Buttercream
(adapted from Cooks Illustrated) 10 tablespoons unsalted Butter, softened 1 cups Confectioners’ Sugar pinch Salt 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 4 oz. semisweet Chocolate, melted and cooled Beat the butter at medium speed for about 20 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt. Beat at medium speed, incorporating the sugar, for about 45 seconds. Scrape down your bowl, and beat again for 15 seconds. Scrape down your bowl, and add your vanilla extract. Reduce the speed to low, and slowly pour in your chocolate. Beat for 4 minutes until all the chocolate is incorporated and buttercream is light and fluffy

Peanut Butter Buttercream

(adapted from Cooks Illustrated) 8 tablespoons unsalted Butter, softened 1/2 cup creamy Peanut Butter 1/2 cup Confectioners’ Sugar pinch Salt 1 tablespoon Heavy Cream Beat the butter and peanut butter together at medium speed for 20 seconds. Add the confectioners’ sugar and salt. Beat at medium speed, incorporating the sugar for about 45 seconds . Scrape down your bowl, and beat again for 15 seconds. Scrape down your bowl, and add your heavy cream. Beat at medium speed until incorporated, then beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Buttermilk Devil’s Food Cake

(adapted from The Cake Doctor) 1 box Duncan Hines Devil’s Food Cake Mix 3 tablespoons unsweetened Cocoa Powder 1 1/3 cup Buttermilk 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil 3 Eggs 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract The first thing you should do is multiply the above amounts by 2. The ingredients listed will make 2 – 9″ round cakes. You will need 4 – 9″ round cakes. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your pans by greasing them with pan spray and dusting them with flour or cocoa powder. Mix all your ingredients together for 1 minute on low speed. Scrape your bowl. Turn it up to high, and mix for 2 minutes. Pour into your pans. 2 pans need 28-30 minutes to cook. If you are making all 4 at one time, keep an eye on the time. You may need a little more time. Let cool completely. When cool, wrap each cake in plastic and place in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes.

Putting It All Together!

Take each cake out and slice the cake through the middle, sideways. In other words, each cake becomes two. Have the cake circle or cake plate or whatever you want to present the finished cake on ready to go. The cake is heavy to move to a plate after completion. Plus you take the risk of it falling. Put the bottom layer on your cake circle. Frost the middle of the cake with the peanut butter buttercream. Keep layering the cake pieces until all eight layers are stacked evenly, with frosting in between each layer. The cake is great to work with when it is slightly frozen. I took 1 cake at a time from the freezer to insure they would be semi frozen. Once all the layers had peanut butter buttercream on them, I stuck 4 wooden cake rods in a square design through the top of the cake. I measured them before I inserted them. I wanted them from the bottom of the cake until just short of the middle of the top layer. This kept the cake from falling. I set the cake in the fridge so it would set up quickly. When it was set up enough, I took it out of the fridge, and quickly frosted it with the chocolate buttercream. Then I stuck the mini reese’s cups around the bottom and then haphazardly wherever I thought they needed to be. I added the brittle and the peanuts because I thought it added much needed color and texture. Then I placed it in the fridge for several hours. My friend was happy with the cake. I hope they ask me to make his cake again next year!! Thanks for stopping by! This recipe partied at the following shindigs: