Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Frosting

Happy... day?!  Usually cakes of this size are made for holidays, special occasions, or for large gathering but I don't have any of those as an excuse.  Nick was in the mood for cake with peanut butter frosting and we decided to make a full recipe for the sake of pictures and for lots of leftovers and sharing with others!

At the beginning of my pregnancy I couldn't even stand the thought of sweets!  Nick had to make himself dessert and he actually did a pretty good job.  I was actually kind of excited that this pregnancy was going to help me change my eating habits but that only lasted the first trimester.  I have definitely been indulging in desserts a little too much but I'm still a few pounds below what I should be so I should eat more cake right?! Well, I should probably choose healthier options.  Don't worry I'm still eating pretty healthy and staying active.

This cake tastes a lot like my cupcakes because it has the same frosting so yeah, it's really good and you should try it.  The cake part of the recipe is from one of Hershey's recipes but I think I like my cake recipe still a little better.

INGREDIENTS
Cake:
1/2 c cocoa
1/2 c butter
1/2 c shortening
1 c water
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
2 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Frosting:
5 T butter, softened
1 c creamy peanut butter
3/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 c powdered sugar
1/3 c heavy cream

Chocolate Frosting:
1/4 c butter, softened
1/3 c cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk

Chocolate Drizzle:
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with shortening and then flour.

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, and baking soda and set aside.  In a medium saucepan bring the first 4 ingredients to a boil over medium heat being sure to stir often.  Once it comes to a boil  remove from heat and blend into the flour mixture.  Mix in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.  Pour batter into pans.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pans onto wire racks and allow to cool completely.

Place one cake on a plate or platter and top with chocolate frosting.  Place the other cake on top.  Frost the top and sides of the cake with the peanut butter frosting.


Peanut Butter Frosting:

With an electric mixer beat butter, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl.  Slowly mix in powdered sugar and heavy cream and mix until smooth.

Chocolate Frosting:

With an electric mixer beat butter, cocoa, and vanilla together in a small bowl.  Slowly mix in powdered sugar and milk and mix until smooth.

Chocolate Drizzle:

Melt chocolate chips in microwave for 1 minute in 30 second increments and stir until smooth.  Put chocolate into a plastic bag and cut off the corner.  Squeeze chocolate out over cake with a side to side motion letting it drizzle off on the sides.

–Melanie