Peanut Butter Twix Cake
For months, I’ve been promising Jordan a chocolate cake. Like a chocolate on chocolate, totally decadent kinda vibe. And because chocolate cake isn’t y usual jam, I’ve spent way too much time trying to find what I deem to be an exciting chocolate cake. I mean making a cake (at least how I do it) is hours spent over the course of a couple days, and based on the time commitment alone I want to be pumped on it. So I researched, took notes, found fun elements to piece together, and finally decided that this Peanut Butter Twix Cake is my kind of chocolate cake. It’s chocolate-y + sweet + rich cake that’s also balanced with the perfect amount of salty components. It has texture + flavor, and gets a 10/10 cake at our house. The most perfect, fluffy chocolate cake layers with a whipped peanut butter layer sandwich in between, and salty shortbread crumbles in the mix for a little texture (ps - these shortbread crumbles are the most addictive little cookie nuggets so be prepared to be fully hooked). And of course a salted caramel, because how can you have a twix cake without the caramel. Perfectly nostalgic and so so delicious.
Let’s talk chocolate
Honestly - I can’t really be bothered with a straight chocolate cake. It’s just kinda boring to me. Particularly a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and some kind of chocolate filling. It just ain’t it for me. But I wanted to deliver on my promise to veer from the fruit infused cakes + get some chocolate in the house. This is how I finally took the plunge, and tried to add some variations that steered us away from basic.
Let’s start with the cake - a lot going on. But it’s the heart of the cake and it has to be good (duh) and it has to have such a good texture. This one delivered. It’s definitely chocolate-y, but additions of buttermilk + sour cream add some tangy flavors that kind of round out what’s going on here, and it’s so good. The end result is for sure chocolate-y, and it’s also moist and fluffy. These baddies rose beautifully in the oven, and seemed pretty “gooey” when they came out. I was shocked when they passed the toothpick test, but they did and this recipe is ideal chocolate cake vibes.
Now the frosting - part buttercream + part cream cheese frosting. What that really means is combining a chocolate buttercream and cream cheese frosting recipe in the stand mixer all at the same time, and it’s an ideal scenario. Has all the flavor and general addictive quality of a cream cheese frosting, but it’s chocolate-y. I use a dark chocolate to make the ganache that goes in the frosting (highly recommend!), so it’s rich and has a bold chocolate flavor. Everything whipped in the mixer left me with the perfect consistency. Light and spreadable, and coating the cake from the dirty ice to the final touches was easy peasy.
I made caramel the real way!
The biggest success of this cake is that it involved making caramel. I did just like how they do on the Great British Baking Show, and that’s the real victory here!
What is the real way? Placing granulated sugar in a saucepan, cranking up the heat, letting the sugar turn to syrup and caramelizing all on its own. It also felt like some sort of adult science experiment, and honestly - I was fascinated. Watching granulated sugar turn to liquid + liquify before your eyes - it was wild. And it worked seamlessly! It was easy to watch the sugar turn an amber color and heat monitor to avoid burning, and adding in the cream + butter to officially turn the sugar into caramel worked like a dream. Gone are the days of making some sugar water bull shit - those recipes are trash and for me, they’ve been pretty finicky (I’ve always had issues and either been left with something that wasn’t quite right or had to remake the whole thing). This method was truly simple+ easy, and I’m forever changed.
The shortbread crunch - delicious
Obsessed with this entire cake, but love this shortbread component. And I couldn’t stop snacking on it during the assembly of it all. It’s buttery + crunchy + such a good flavor break up the chocolate overload. It’s just kind of salty, and with so many sweet components, a salty bite is very welcomed.
Loved this cake. Loved making it as special treat to enjoy for just us two. Love that we have pieces saved in our freezer to enjoy at our leisure. And all in all I just loved it all;
For the cake
3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/4 c. cake flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 c. sour cream, room temperature
For the caramel (can make a day ahead)
1 c. sugar
6 tbsp butter
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 tsp salt
For the shortbread crumb (can make a day ahead)
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter, room temperature
2 c. flour
heavy cream on hand (in case you need it)
For the peanut butter filling
8 oz cream cheese
1 c. peanut butter
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
For the frosting
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips
2 1/2 c. butter, room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese
9 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. of the homemade caramel (at room temp)
Start with the cakes. Preheat the oven to 325. Prep 3 cake trays with flour + line with parchment. I used 8 inch trays.
For the batter - Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter + sugars for 1 minute. Add in the eggs, and continue to mix until fully incorporated. Add in the cocoa powder + vanilla + salt, mixing at medium high for 1 minute. Turn the mixture to low and add in half of the flour, the baking soda, and baking powder. Once incorporated add in half of the buttermilk, mixing on low until fully incorporated. Add in the remainder of the flour followed by the remainder of the buttermilk. Mix on low until fully incorporated. Add in the sour cream. Gradually increase the speed until you get to medium high, and whip at this speed for about 2 minutes. The batter should appear light and fluffy. Using a spatula, separate the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 33-35 minutes, baking until the cakes pass the toothpick test.
Once fully baked, let them cool in the cake pans for 30 minutes to an hour, then remove from the pans to let them cool completely. Once cooled, trim the domes off the top of the cake so you have a flat surface, and tightly wrap the cakes in plastic wrap. Freeze until you’re ready to assemble.
For the caramel (can make while cakes are baking) - Place the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly waiting for the sugar to melt and turn into a smooth liquid. It will get clumpy before getting perfectly smooth. Watch for the sugar to turn a dark amber color, which will happen pretty quickly once the sugar melts. I like to use a saucepan with an enamel coating (I use my Le Creuset saucepan) so I can see when the sugar starts to turn amber in color. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the butter. Once fully incorporated slowly add in the cream in a steady stream, whisking the entire time. Finally, add the salt and let the mixture cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
For the shortbread pieces - Line a baking tray with parchment and set your oven to 325. Using an electic mixer, beat all of the ingredients together. The consistency should be that of wet sand, and should hold shape when pressed together between your fingers. If the mix seems dry, add in 1-2 tbsp of heavy cream. Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Toss the par-baked pieces, and return to the oven to bake another 10 minutes. The shortbread should be lightly browned on the edges. Let the shortbread cool to room temperature on the pan.
For the peanut butter filling (I like to make this right before I make the frosting) - Start by whisking the heavy cream + sugar on high heat until you have a firm whipped cream. Set aside in a separate bowl. Add the peanut butter, cream cheese + vanilla to the mixer, and whip on high for 2-3 minutes. Gently fold in the heavy cream with a spatula, stirring until it’s perfectly blended together.
For the frosting (remember to make the frosting right before you will ice + decorate your cake) - Start by placing the heavy cream over medium-low heat, keeping it over this heat and stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. While stirring, gradually increase the heat to medium until the cream is steamy and bubbling on the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips + stir until the chocolate has melted. Let it sit and cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. It should be cool to the touch.
In a stand mixer, add the butter + cream cheese, and whip together on medium for a minute. Gradually add in the powdered sugar 2 cups at a time, allowing the sugar to be fully incorporated before adding more. Add in the chocolate ganache + the caramel. Gradually increase the speed to medium high, and whip at medium high for 2 minutes.
Now it’s time to ice + decorate. Follow the steps below:
Remove all of the cake layers from the freeze - unwrapping all of them and placing one on a cardboard cake base.
Top the cake with about half of the peanut butter filling, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Using a piping bag, pipe a border of the frosting on the border. The height should be a 1/4 inch higher than the peanut butter filling. Sprinkle the top of the filling with some of the shortbread crumbles and drizzle with about half the remaining caramel.
Top with the second cake layer.
Repeat step two and place the top layer on top. For the top layer, place the dome side down so the top of the cake is the bottom side of the remaining layer.
Proceed to dirty ice the cake, and then let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove to finish icing the cake. I like to get my finishing frosting on top of the dirty ice, and then place the cake back in the fridge for another 30 minutes before piping on the decorative pieces.
Eat + enjoy!