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Three-Layer Peanut Butter Cake
Rich, nutty, and incredibly tender, this towering three-layer cake packs deep peanut butter flavor into every slice. The secret to its light texture is folding whipped egg whites into a buttermilk batter, keeping the crumb soft instead of heavy. You'll finish the whole thing with a smooth peanut butter frosting and a handful of chopped peanuts for contrast. It's a showstopping dessert that easily steals the spotlight at any gathering.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter or margarine, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 350°F.
- 2Whip the softened butter on medium speed using an electric mixer until creamy. Slowly pour in the sugar while continuing to mix. Drop in the egg yolks one by one, mixing thoroughly after each. Mix in the peanut butter until the batter is completely smooth.
- 3Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl. Add this dry mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and finish with the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined so you don't overwork the gluten. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- 4Whip the egg whites in a clean bowl on high speed until stiff peaks form. Any residual grease in the bowl prevents the whites from whipping properly. Carefully fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest. Divide the batter evenly among three greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
- 5Bake at 350°F for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans on wire racks for 10 minutes before turning them out to cool completely.
- 6Layer the cooled cakes, spreading peanut butter frosting between each tier and over the top and sides. Finish by scattering chopped peanuts over the top.
Notes
- Measuring: Spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level it off with a straight edge, rather than scooping directly from the bag to avoid a dense cake.
- Storage: Freeze the frosted cake in an airtight container for up to one month. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Frosting: This recipe pairs perfectly with a classic peanut butter buttercream or a tangy cream cheese frosting.