Monday Menu - Special Request

By special request, I am posting a recipe for my Chocolate/Peanut Butter Torte. Here's the story behind this cake...it goes all the way back to when Brad and I were dating in high school. There was a restaurant downtown called "Crackers". We would occasionally go there for dessert, specifically for the chocolate/peanut butter cake. After eating it a couple times, I started thinking that I could probably make it. And, quite honestly, after having a dry slice one time, thought I could make it better. So I started experimenting, and after a couple tries this is the cake that emerged. It's an extremely simple cake to make, and so good. So rich.

I made it for Valentine's Day, so I'd have pictures to share. So humor me and take a look at the pictures! This cake is even better the day after you make it. At least make it early in the day when you plan to serve it, or the night before. And if you have kids, it tastes even better after they've gone to bed and you can have a big slice and a cold glass of milk. Brad prefers to pile ice cream on top of it, and it makes me cringe. Here you go...

Chocolate/Peanut Butter Torte

Cake:
1 pkg. Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge cake mix, prepare as directed using 2 9-inch round cake pans (or hearts if it's Valentine's Day!). After pouring batter into pans, make sure to pick up the pans a few inches and drop the pans onto the counter a few times to force any air bubbles up to the surface. Then your cake will be more even, without all those large craters inside. Let cool completely.

Peanut Butter Frosting:
2 TBSP softened butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup milk

Beat together butter and peanut butter. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Now, I do not bake to a science, I bake to taste. So at this point, just start tasting. If it needs more peanut butter, add it in. If it needs to be a bit thinner, add a bit more milk. Just keep playing with it until it's good.

Chocolate Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, well softened
2/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat together butter and cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Again, if it needs to be a bit thinner you can add a bit more milk.

To assemble: Slice each cooled cake layer horizontally into 2 layers. You now should have 4 somewhat even cakes. I've tried the gizmos to evenly slice cakes, and haven't found them to be worth the effort. I just use a long serrated knife and eyeball it.

Now layer the cake and peanut butter frosting, starting with a bottom layer of cake, 1/3 of the frosting, and repeat ending with cake. Here's a picture in process:


Here's a picture of the layers put together:


Now just frost the entire sides and top with chocolate frosting.

I have to be honest about the chocolate frosting. This is my favorite frosting, and for special occasions I make it. However, this cake is very rich, and I went through a time when people I made it for would leave all the chocolate frosting on their plate because it was too rich. So I stopped going to the trouble of making it for those people, and instead would use canned chocolate frosting. Betty Crocker Classic Chocolate. They never knew. And I'm not saying who...I'm just suggesting this as an option. It does not take away from the cake at all. It's the peanut butter frosting that really make the cake. So don't mess with that.

And here's the best part: a slice waiting to be eaten. Notice how uneven my layers are. It doesn't matter. It all tastes great and still disperses the peanut butter enough that you get that flavor in every bite of cake. I love making this cake. Yum.