Easy Buckeye Cake
Buckeye Cake is a rich, decadent dessert that has homemade chocolate cake with mounds of peanut butter frosting on top with a layer of ganache! Serves a crowd yet only calls for 30 minutes of prep time!
An Indulgent Slice Of Cake
Looking to satisfy that chocolate peanut butter craving? Then this Buckeye Cake is for you! This Buckeye Cake will stop everyone in their tracks with its flavor and appearance!
Mounds of fluffy peanut butter frosting are sandwiched between a layer of chocolate cake and 3-ingredient chocolate ganache!
There’s just something about creamy peanut butter enveloped in sweet chocolaty goodness!
Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: The famous dessert combination of chocolate and peanut butter, so you know the taste! Sweet, salty, rich, and decadent!
Texture: Each slice of tender, moist chocolate cake has a scoop of light and fluffy peanut butter frosting! The mounds are then finished off with a layer of smooth chocolate ganache topping!
Ease: 6/10
Pros: A rich, impressive dessert that chocolate and peanut butter lovers will devour!
Cons: Three layers, all made from scratch, can cause dishes to pile up!
Would I Make This Again? Yes, friends and family can’t get enough of this Buckeye Cake!
Ingredients For Buckeye Cake
The chocolate cake, homemade peanut butter frosting, and chocolate ganache each have an ingredient that makes them stand out! Together, all three team up to make a dessert that’s completely out of this world delicious! To make this stand-out cake you’ll need:
- Granulated Sugar
- All-Purpose Flour
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Espresso Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Large Eggs
- Sour Cream
- Vegetable Oil
- Vanilla Extract
- Hot Water
- Unsalted Butter
- Peanut Butter
- Heavy Cream
- Finely Chopped Bittersweet Chocolate
- Chocolate Sprinkles
How To Make Buckeye Cake
- Prepare the cake by first preheating the oven and greasing a cake pan with butter. Then line the buttered pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt together in a large bowl and then set it aside.
- Beat the eggs and sour cream together in a separate bowl until the mixture becomes smooth. Afterwards, beat in the vegetable oil and vanilla extract until it becomes creamy.
- Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir before fully incorporating. Then pour the hot water in and stir again until the batter becomes smooth.
- Transfer the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool before removing from the pan or completely frosting.
- Prepare the frosting by creaming the unsalted butter and peanut butter together in a large bowl or stand mixer that’s fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Add the powdered sugar in a cup to a time, alternating with a tablespoon of heavy cream.
- Pour in the vanilla extract and then whip the frosting on medium-high speed until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Drop mounds of peanut butter frosting onto the top of the completely cooled cake.
- Prepare the ganache by bringing heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Then pour the hot heavy cream over the chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. Allow this to set.
- Add the vanilla extract and then whisk the ganache together until it becomes completely smooth.
- Allow the ganache to cool before pouring it over the top of the peanut butter mounds on the cake.
- Add chocolate sprinkles over the cake and then let the ganache set up before slicing and serving the cake.
Rebecca’s Tips
- Preparing The Pan – Grease the cake pan with butter and line it with parchment paper. This will ensure removing the cake is as easy as possible.
- Frosting Consistency – The peanut butter frosting should be perfectly light and fluffy. If needed, you can add additional cream or powdered sugar to help you reach the desired consistency.
- Drops Of Frosting – I recommend using a large or medium size cookie scoop to drop mounds of frosting all over the baked and cooled cake. This trick disperses the frosting in even amounts that look nice!
- Chocolate Ganache – The ganache is very rich and has a slightly bitter dark chocolate flavor. If you prefer it to be sweeter, you can whisk in 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
- Slicing and Serving – Allow the chocolate ganache to cool completely before slicing and serving the cake. When serving, be sure each slice has one mound of frosting!
How To Store Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye Cake
This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Leftover cake can then be enjoyed for up to one week.
More Chocolate & Peanut Butter Recipes:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes – Filled with a Reese’s Pieces surprise center!
- Peanut Butter Cheesecake – Silky peanut butter cheesecake, an Oreo crust, and ganache!
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Macarons – Complete with easy step-by-step instructions!
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – An easy recipe made with a vanilla pudding mix!
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies – Deep chocolate cookies loaded with peanut butter chips and Reese’s Pieces!
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Buckeye Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 3¼ cups powdered sugar
- 5 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces heavy cream
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- chocolate sprinkles optional topping
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch cake pan with butter and line with parchment paper, letting the paper come up over the edge for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.2 cups granulated sugar, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon espresso powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sour cream until smooth. Then beat in the oil and vanilla until creamy.2 large eggs, 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just a little to begin incorporating, then pour in the hot water and stir until smooth.1 cup hot water
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean from the center of the cake.
- All the cake to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butters together and scrape down the sides of the bowl.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup peanut butter
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, alternating with tablespoons of heavy cream.3¼ cups powdered sugar, 5 tablespoons heavy cream
- Add in the vanilla and whip on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Drop large cookie scoop mounds of frosting onto the top of the cake. You could also use a medium cookie scoop all over for more even covereage. Spreading the frosting out all over the cake is also an option but you will lose the buckeye ball look.
Ganache
- Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan then pour over the chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 8 ounces heavy cream
- Add the vanilla and whisk together until a rich and smooth ganache forms. Allow it to cool for about 20 minutes before pouring it over the top of the mounds of frosting.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add sprinkles if desired and let the ganache cool completely before slicing and serving.chocolate sprinkles
Notes
- Add additional cream or confectioners sugar as needed to reach desired consistency for the frosting.
- Hot coffee can be used in place of espresso powder and water in the cake.
- Frosting can be made with a hand mixer but will not be as whipped.
- The ganache is very rich with a bitter dark chocolate flavor. Feel free to whisk in 1/4 cup of powdered sugar for a sweeter flavor.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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I have made this cake six times since October. it was requested as birthday cake twice. always turns out. I make it a layer cake with the peanut butter between the cake layers. Tonight I swapped out the peanut butter for biscoff cookie butter. Hope it’s as good.
I love cookie butter frosting, so I’m sure it turned out great! So glad you are enjoying the recipe!