Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

I'm the cake baker when it comes to coworkers birthdays. I always ask for a flavor preference, so I can narrow down from the many recipes that I want to try. Just last week we celebrated a birthday and, even though I did ask, I knew what the answer would be from Meg: anything peanut butter and chocolate. It's the same answer every year!
I spotted this recipe a while ago during an afternoon of blog surfing and knew it was THE cake for this birthday. And, you know what? It turned out AWESOME. Nate's first reaction when he saw it was, "You should go sell that to Ettore's." It just looked incredible. It's SUPER rich, but the peanut butter flavor is pretty subtle. Thin slices, although they're hard to cut, are a must.
Below is the original recipe. I only have 9 inch cake pans and I didn't want the cake to look too short, so I actually did a one and a half version of the recipe which yielded 3 9-inch rounds. Tall, pretty, oh, and really quite heavy! This is not a quick cake to make, but it's definitely worth the time! ENJOY!

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter GlazeFrom Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes, but I found it here.

Makes an 8-inch triple-layer cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil, such as canola, soybean or vegetable blend
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanut brittle (I left this out.)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cakepans.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely. (I put mine in the freezer for about 30 minutes after they had cooled and it made it super easy to frost, especially since this is kind of a 'crumby' cake.)

4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Once the cake is fully frosted, it helps to chill it again and let it firm up. The cooler and more set the peanut butter frosting is, the better drip effect you’ll get from the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze.

5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. Decorate the top with chopped peanut brittle.

Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups

10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half

1. In the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.