Fudgy Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

This cake is a once a year favorite for my birthday.  I got this recipe from my friend Julie.  She gave me some helpful tips to result in a dense, fudgy, decadent, unforgettable cake.  This starts with an incredibly moist chocolate cake, frosted with peanut butter cream cheese frosting, topped with peanut butter, dark chocolate ganache, and finished with chopped peanut butter cups. To Die For!!!
Follow these tips for best results: First, do not overbake the cake.  If you do, you won't get that fudgy effect.  Second, get the Hersheys special dark cocoa for an extra dark cake not only in taste but in color.  Third, the cake can be made a day or two before you need it, as it tastes better the longer the flavors meld together. 

Fudgy Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Cake:
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dark or dutch process)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c neutral oil such as canola or vegetable
1 c sour cream
1 1/2 c water
2 tbs vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray two 8 or 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray liberally. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.  Combine in a medium bowl the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk to combine them well.  Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend.  Gradually beat in the water, then blend in vinegar and vanilla.  Whisk in the eggs and beat until blended.  Divide batter even;y between the two pans.
Bake for 30-35 min. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.  Let cool in the pans for 20 min.  Then freeze them in the freezer for about 30 min.  (this is so the cakes don't fall apart when you invert them.)

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

10 oz cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter, softened
5 cups powdered sugar
2/3 c peanut butter (creamy kind)

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter till fluffy.  Add powdered sugar gradually. beat until fluffy.  Add peanut butter at the end until well combined.

Chocolate PB glaze:

1 c semi-sweet chocolate
3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 half n half

combine all ingredients except for half in half in a bowl, microwave in 30-sec increments until chocolate is melted, whisk the mixture to make smooth.  Whisk in half n half, beating until nice and smooth.

Assemble the cake:  Place one cake round on a cake plate, cover liberally with frosting, top the next layer and continue to frost until cake is covered.  Pour ganache over cake and top with chopped peanut butter cups (About 6-7 peanut butter cups) (this is optional). Place in the fridge for a few hours for the cake to set.

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Oatmeal Cookies

Can cookies really be healthy?  My answer is NO.  But can it be full of more nutrition, have less sugar, and butter than an average cookie and still taste good?  My answer is yes!  This recipe turned out really good.  I was super skeptical, but I loved the flavor and texture of this cookie.  I ate two, and I was super full for the rest of the day!  Probably because of the oats, peanut butter and banana.  This was delicious!  I found this recipe here.

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/4 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

4 tbs butter, softened

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c sugar

1/3 c peanut butter

1 tbs honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 banana, mashed completely

2 c quick oats

Peanut Butter/Honey Glaze

3 tbs peanut butter

1/2 c powdered sugar

1 tbs honey

2 tbs milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.   In another bowl combine butter, and sugars.  Add peanut butter, and honey, mix till combined.  Add mashed banana, egg and vanilla until combined.  Add dry ingredients to wet, combine, and then add oats.  Scoop batter by the tablespoon onto baking sheet.  Flatten dough slightly.  Bake for 7-9 minutes or until tops are just set.  Remove from baking sheet and cool completely.  Mix together glaze ingredients until spreadable consistency.  Spread a little bit of glaze on each cookie.

Picture courtesy of http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/

Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Every time I think of this recipe, I want to make these incredible cookies. It has every flavor profile: sweet, salty, chewy, soft, flavorful! It's yet another way that chocolate and peanut butter go so well together. I love the addition of oats for some chewy texture. You could put any kind of chips in these. If you are a HUGE peanut butter lover, peanut butter chips would take these over the top in the peanut butter category. If you are feeling even more devilish, try putting a thin coat of chocolate frosting on the top. (Not that they need anything...they are good as is).

Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 c butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 c peanut butter
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 c flour
2 c oats
3/4-1 c milk chocolate chips

Combine sugars and butter until fluffy. Add eggs, and vanilla, mix. Add peanut butter, until combined well. Add dry ingredients to wet, mix until incorporated. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes (depending on how well done you like your cookies, adjust the time to more or less)

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

I have yet another TDF recipe for you! I tried these a couple of years ago from one of my friends in Carlsbad. I fell in love with them, and could not stop eating them. I don't know why I haven't made them myself until now. They are the perfect treat when you don't want to turn on your oven, and have a craving for sweet, salty, crunchy, chocolate, peanut butter. My son Brent helped me make these and he enjoyed matching up the pretzel squares to sandwich the peanut butter filling. You can use either milk chocolate or semi-sweet to dip the bites into. White chocolate may be a cool alternative as well. We made a half batch yesterday on Saturday, and they are gone!

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

1 c. creamy peanut butter
2 tbs butter, softened
1/2 c powdered sugar (may need a little more)
3/4 c brown sugar
1 bag of chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk)
1 bag of Snyders square shaped pretzels (called snaps)

Combine the first 4 ingredients to form a dough. You should be able to roll the dough between your hands without it sticking. If it sticks add a little more powdered sugar. Roll dough into teaspoon measured balls and set aside. Take 2 pretzels, sandwich a peanut butter ball in between, and press down slightly to form a sandwich. Place on a sheet tray and freeze for 30 minutes until slightly firm. Melt chocolate in microwave (start with 1/2 bag of chocolate chips to minimize waste). Dip each sandwich halfway into chocolate, place on a cookie tray lined with wax paper or foil. Refrigerate until set.