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This Pumpkin Patch Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake is the perfect cake for all your fall parties, game-day tailgating, Halloween, and everything in between. It’s seriously the BEST chocolate peanut butter cake. Three soft, perfectly sweet, super moist, and extra chocolatey cake layers. Each generously frosted with the most delicious creamy peanut butter frosting. Then finished with a light, whipped chocolate frosting to really seal the deal. Decorate with mini peanut butter pumpkins and you’ll have a deliciously festive chocolate peanut butter cake that beats out any others!
Well, would you look at that? It’s Friday, it’s almost October, and I have chocolate peanut butter cake to share.
And it’s kind of festive too.
Because when it’s fall, I can’t help but make everything with a pumpkin twist. Today there are no pumpkin flavors, only cute little mini peanut butter and chocolate pumpkins. And plenty of chocolate peanut butter cake too.
Here’s the story. It’s quick and it’s simple. This is the very cake that I made for my brother’s wedding two weeks ago. It was THE cake that everyone LOVED. I mean, once the cake was sliced it seemed like only five seconds later it had all been devoured. This cake was hands down the crowd favorite of the night. I was never planning to share this recipe…because really, did I need yet another chocolate peanut butter creation here on HBH? I have so many already…
BUT after sharing the photo of the cake on Instagram I received hundreds of messages asking for the recipe. That’s when I decided I’d better share this wonderfully delicious cake with you all.
So here it is. My go-to chocolate peanut butter cake…with a slight fall twist, chocolate peanut butter pumpkins!
This cake is…
…incredibly easy to make.
…has 3 delicious, super moist chocolate layers.
…is celebrated with 2 thick layers of creamy peanut butter frosting.
…finished with a generous coating of “whipped” chocolate frosting.
…simply decorated with leftover cake crumbles and peanut butter pumpkins.
…super chocolatey, so moist, decadent, and DELICIOUS.
And every last bite is roll your eyes back GOOD!
To make this chocolate peanut butter cake
First, bake three chocolate cake layers. I used my all-time favorite chocolate cake as a base. This cake has been my go-to cake base for years and years and years (well, I’m probably not that old). It’s simply the best and never fails me. The secret here is to use oil instead of butter (shocking, but promise, it’s better). I also use coffee to bring out the flavors of the chocolate.
It’s made in just one bowl and is truly the easiest chocolate cake…and the best.
Second, make the frostings. Start with the peanut butter. It’s literally just peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Simple and perfect.
The chocolate is more of a “whipped” chocolate frosting. It’s super light and airy. The key here is to whip the frosting for a minute or two to really incorporate some air.
Once the cake layers have cooled, layer them with the peanut butter frosting and then frost the outside of the cake with the chocolate frosting. Easy, right? Now, you can stop here…or embrace fall and create a Pumpkin Patch Cake.
For the pumpkin patch “look”
To create the look of “dirt” in your “pumpkin patch”, simply take a serrated bread knife and slice off the top rounded portion of each cake layer. If you’d prefer not to have an extra step – skip.
The mini pumpkins can be made by forming additional peanut butter frosting into balls. Then just use cinnamon sticks and melted chocolate to create the “stem”. Make the pumpkins sparkle by adding cinnamon sugar, then chill until firm. And now you have mini peanut butter pumpkins!
To decorate…
If using, sprinkle the cake crumbles over top of the cake and add the pumpkins.
Then say hello to the cutest pumpkin patch chocolate peanut butter cake.
Nothing too fancy, but all things incredibly delicious.
This is without a doubt one of my family’s all-time favorite cakes. It’s going to be perfect for any upcoming fall parties or game day gatherings. And YES, you must make this for Halloween…it’s got all the spooky, haunted Halloween vibes. I LOVE it!
Here’s a suggestion. Spend your Saturday baking this cake and having fun decorating it. Perfect it to just how you want it to look for Halloween. Then, when the ominous day comes, you’ll be extra prepared…nothing wrong with that!
If you make this pumpkin patch chocolate peanut butter cake be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Pumpkin Patch Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake.
Servings: 24
Calories Per Serving: 2599 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons hot black coffee
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer) beat together the eggs, buttermilk, yogurt, canola oil, and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined and smooth. Slowly stream in the hot coffee, mixing until combined. The batter should be pourable, but not super thin.3. Pour the batter among the cake pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are just set and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Cover and let the cakes cool completely before assembling. To create the look of "dirt" look in your "pumpkin patch", simply take a serrated bread knife and slice off the top rounded portion of each cake layer. If you'd prefer not to have an extra step - skip.4. To make the peanut butter frosting. Add the peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until light and fluffy. 5. To make the chocolate frosting. Add the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the heavy cream and whip the frosting for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. 6. To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread half the peanut butter frosting over the cake. Add the 2nd cake layer and spread with the remaining peanut butter frosting. Add the final cake layer and frost the outside of the cake with the chocolate frosting. Decorate as desired with cake crumbs and mini peanut pumpkins (recipe below). Chill 1 hour to allow the cake to set up. Serve, or store in a cool place at room temperature, or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
To Bring Eggs to Room Temperature: place the eggs in a bowl and fill with warm water. Let sit 5 minutes.
Mini Peanut Butter Pumpkins
Servings: 14
Calories Per Serving: 748 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 2-2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate melted
- cinnamon sticks, melted chocolate, cinnamon sugar, for decorating
Instructions
- 1. Add the peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until combined. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. 2. Insert a cinnamon stick into the center of each dough ball. Drizzle chocolate around the cinnamon stick to look like a stem. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Transfer to the freezer and chill in freezer until firm, about 30 minutes. Once chilled, use the pumpkins to decorate the cake.
I only have two cake pans- how much longer should I bake the cakes if I spilt the recipe in two instead of three? Thanks!!!
Hey Karen,
I would recommend baking two, waiting for them to cool and then baking the third. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hello!
Can I substitute the yogurt on the recipe of the cake for something else? I get allergic reaction to the active cultures in yogurt (Yeah, I know so weird, but your recipe looks delicious and I would like to try it.
Thank you!
Hey Andreina,
You can use sour cream in place of the yogurt! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I don’t drink coffee, but I have expresso powder for baking. Could I use this instead of the coffee? If so, do you have suggestions for how to do it?
Hey Jennifer! I would mix 1 tbs espresso powder with 1 cup + 2 tablespoons hot water. That will work great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Hi dear what size pan do you use?
Hey Seena,
You are going to use 3 (8) inch round pans. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I hav a Dear Friend who is Gluten Intolerant & I wud Luv to Bake this Cake. Wut is THE Best Wheat Flour Sub for This or Any Cake in yor Experience? Thanx so Much ??
Hey Avalon,
I would recommend Cup4cup GF flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks amazing! Any suggestion for a substitute for the Greek yogurt to make it dairy free? I can use a non dairy milk with vinegar to make a buttermilk, but not too sure on a Greek yogurt substitute, the consistency of non dairy yogurts is usually much thinner than a traditional Greek yogurt.
Hey Cassie,
I would just use a dairy free yogurt. Let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love the recipe. Thank you! xTieghan
Like many New Yorkers, I fled to my parents home in March when COVID arrived and I stayed with them for three months. This cake is the reason we somehow all lived peacefully together without any family feuds! hahaha I’m not joking. I made this cake in late March out of sheer boredom and with one bite we all were obsessed. It’s so rich, that the serving size is true. It says 14 servings but it’s honestly more like 30 because it’s so chocolatey and dense. We ended up slicing up the cake and freezing the pieces, and every Saturday morning for the next three months, the three of us would have a tiny sliver of cake with our coffee and it became our routine. I went back to New York in June, and just now, in August, I got a text from my mom asking if I would come home for her birthday. She says the only gift she wants is for me to make this cake again!! We call it the “corona-coco cake” because it really did get us through the worst of times. I’ll be making this recipe for years to come.
Ok wow that is so sweet to hear!! I am so happy you all loved this cake and it made those three months just a little bit brighter haha. Thank you so much, Katie! I hope your mom has an amazing birthday! xTieghan
The dessert looks delicious. I want to try it at home. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thank you!! I am so glad you enjoyed this! xTieghan
Can I prepare the frostings a day ahead? I wanted to make everything one day and assemble the next.
Hi Michalene,
Yes that is totally fine to do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My son turned 13 today and for the past week he has been asking me to make him a chocolate peanut butter cake. I’ve made one before for him and didn’t really care for it. I wasn’t really looking forward to making another one until I found this recipe. I made this today and everyone in our family loved it but especially my quaran-teen. 😉 My husband said he’d be very happy to eat this from a restaurant. It is that good! Thank for your sharing the recipe. I would totally make it again!
Aw! I am really glad you all enjoyed this recipe, Kim! Thank you so much for trying it!! xTieghan
This cake is super easy and tastes wonderful! I subbed the hot coffee for hot water because I am allergic and it turned out great. If you can’t decide which HBH cake to make start with this one!!
I am so glad you enjoyed this Sarah! Thank you so much!! xTieghan
The best Choco Peanut butter cake I’ve made, 5 stars worthy
Thank you so much Caroline! That is so amazing to hear! xTieghan
Attempted this cake today and it didn’t go as planned. Followed the directions exactly and the cake was very dry. First cue should have been the batter. You said it would be pourable but it thick. Even after the coffee. So I added a bit more hot water and that helped a little. I think I’m adding the extra water I simply over-mixed it. Also, I’m at a higher altitude so that probably also contributed to it. Curious to hear your thoughts. Thanks in advance!
Hi Liz! I am sorry you had trouble. Was there anything you did differently at all? Any ingredients different? Method of baking this? Any info will be helpful to help me problem solve and figure out what might be happening for you. It’s hard to know without knowing any details.I too am at an elevation, so I don not believe that is the issue. Are you sure you use all the ingredients? I hope you had a Merry Christmas! xTieghan
You say to bake until the top is just set and the center isn’t wiggly. Does this mean I shouldn’t do the toothpick test?
Hey Rachel! You can use the toothpick test if you would like. That works great for this cake! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I just made this cake for my husband’s birthday. I cut the recipe in half and baked it in 3, 5 inch pans for a smaller cake. The cake itself is amazing. Next time I would either use less batter in each pan or use two layers and freeze one. My frosting skills need some practice! For the peanut butter frosting I added a bit of buttermilk to make it a little easier to spread. I almost gave up on the chocolate frosting because it did not seem like it was getting creamy, but keep mixing. I used a hand mixer. Once you add the cream ( I used half and half) it all comes together. Thanks for a fun recipe!
I am so glad this turned out so well for you Randy! Thank you so much for trying it! Also, Happy Birthday to your husband! xTieghan