Calling All Peanut Butter Lovers

With a slight lean, still a masterpiece!

I don't like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. For all of you who just shouted what and that's unAmerican, yes, it's true. I just don't like them. I don't know why. I like peanut butter. I like chocolate. I don't like peanut butter cups and I am thankful. It may be one of the very rare candies that I don't like.

Sometimes I decide to make things I don't really care for, but others around me do,  because my rational is that maybe I won't eat them. That was my plan going into this next venture. Peanut Butter Silk Cake for most may sound like pure silky heaven, but to me, not so much.

My sister in law had just watched my children for me and I thought I would bring half of this over to her as a thank you, even though she probably deserved a metal of honor. She LOVES peanut butter cups, so I thought this would be a perfect surprise.

Here is what I did:
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup veggie oil
3 eggs
1/4 cup butter (I didn't use because this step didn't work)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (I didn't use because this step didn't work)
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 container of chocolate frosting
1 cup chopped peanuts optional, but I did use them

Preheat the oven to 350 or 325 for dark or nonstick pans. Generously grease the bottoms only of 2 8 or 9 inch round pans with shortening or I used cooking spray.

Tryin to crack
the eggs.

Waiting patiently
for a taste.

Two pans and ready
to bake!

In a large bowl combine cake mix, water 1/2 cup of peanut butter, oil and the eggs. Do this on low for about 30 seconds, just to get it combined evenly. Then beat on medium for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour into the two pans and bake about 30 to 35 minutes, BUT ALWAYS BE SURE TO DO THE TOOTHPICK TEST!!! Hey people just because this is the suggested bake time, if that toothpick comes out clean before the time, take the cakes out! No one wants a dry cake, yuck!!!

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake and then place your cooling rack on top of the pan and flip the whole thing over to release the cake from the pan. Let them completely cool for at least an hour on the racks.

Ok, now this is where I deviate completely from what they wanted me to do for the filling because it doesn't work and I knew it wouldn't, so I am not even going to put it in here and confuse you. The just of what happened is you boil it down to make a Carmel mix and then you are supposed to put it in the fridge, which I knew would make it hard and crunchy, not gooey for the filling. I tried it, TWICE. It doesn't work, so I altered the filling. See below.

In a chilled medium bowl, beat the whipping cream on high until soft peaks form. Looking at whipping cream coming out of the carton, you wouldn't think it would whip up like it does. Trust me, whip it good, it will peak. Then add in the 1/2 cup of peanut butter and continue to whip it until it is all smooth and creamy. This will go in between the cake layers.

Could have probably trimmed
off more, but this worked.

Waiting for the next layer.

Is it ready yet??

Now, it says to split each of the cakes into two layers. I did this and when I went to frost the cake, it started to slip slide all over because the cream in between and the layers were thin. Next time I make this, I don't think I will split the two cakes into layers, I will just use them as the layers.

Ok, trim the cakes tops off so that they are flat. Don't throw the tops away, it is so good, eat them! Back to trimmed cakes. Now you have the two trimmed cakes, put one onto the serving plate and put the peanut butter whipped cream on top of it, about 2/3 of an inch away from the edges, and then set the next cake on top of that.

Frost the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate frosting. Press the chopped peanuts along the edge of the cake into the frosting, if you like that sort of thing.

Store it covered in the fridge.

Back to my sister in law and this cake present. Yeah, the cake didn't make it over to her house. It was so delicious. The actual cake was so smooth it really was silky. Although I still don't like Reese's, I do love this cake!