If you love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups as much as me, you're going to love this Reese's Peanut Butter Cake! It's a peanut butter sponge, a chocolate and peanut butter buttercream, drizzled with Reese's Spread and of course topped with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!
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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
- I used a baking spread for the cake and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
- You can use regular caster sugar instead of golden caster sugar if you prefer.
- UPDATE Unfortunately the Reese's Spread has been discontinued. Instead, you can drizzle peanut butter between the layers and on top of the cake. You will need to warm the peanut butter in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to make it a pourable consistency first.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Reese's Peanut Butter Cake
Make the sponge by mixing the butter, peanut butter and caster sugar together. Then whisk in eggs, followed by self raising flour.
Bake the cakes, then let them cool. For the buttercream, mix together butter, peanut butter, icing sugar, cocoa powder and milk until smooth.
To decorate, pipe the buttercream between each layer and drizzle over some Reese's Spread (or peanut butter). To finish the Reese's Peanut Butter Cake, decorate with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Mini Peanut Butter Cups.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How should the cake be stored and can it be frozen?
The cake should be stored in an airtight container in a cool place and will last for 3 days. You can freeze the sponges either alone, or decorated. Once the sponges are fully cool, wrap them well with cling film or put them in an airtight container with some baking paper between them. You can freeze the buttercream on it’s own in a tub, or you can decorate the cake and freeze it fully assembled. To do this and avoid damage to the decoration, freeze it either in an airtight container. Or let it freeze solid on a cake board or plate, then wrap in cling film. Remove the cling film when you take it out to defrost it, if you don’t it could damage the decoration as it defrosts and softens. You can also freeze slices of the cake, again well wrapped in cling film or in airtight containers.
Can you make the cake with plain/all purpose flour?
Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 4 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.
Can this recipe be made gluten or dairy free?
Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add additional baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 4 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add 1 tsp xanthan gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread and dairy free milk for both the cake and buttercream. You will also need to use dairy free alternatives to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Please check the labels of everything you use if you are serving this to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
Can this cake be made in different size cake tins?
Yes! If you would like to make this cake in different size tins, please check my Conversion Guide to find out how to adjust the recipe.
More tips for making the Reese's Peanut Butter Cake:
- I used Reese's Spread to drizzle between the layers and on top. This has unfortunately now been discontinued, so you can drizzle peanut butter instead.
- You could also decorate the cake with chopped peanuts if you prefer!
- I used a Wilton 8B tip to decorate the cake, but use your favourite piping nozzle, or spread the buttercream on with a palette knife or spoon.
Troubleshooting
If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients
- 8" cake tins
- Mixing bowls
- Cooling rack
- Kitchen scales
- Electric hand mixer
- Piping bags
- Wilton 8B Piping nozzle
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- Round cake tin liners
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More peanut butter recipes...
Reese's Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 500 g Butter or baking spread softened, unsalted
- 500 g Golden caster sugar or regular caster sugar
- 175 g Peanut butter smooth
- 9 Eggs large
- 500 g Self raising flour
For the buttercream
- 300 g Butter softened, unsalted
- 125 g Peanut butter smooth
- 560 g Icing sugar
- 40 g Cocoa powder
- 3-4 tbsp Milk
For the drizzle (optional)
- 200 g Reese's Spread or peanut butter
For decoration
- 8 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups chopped in half
- 100 g Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups chopped in half
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, and grease and line three 8" cake tins (that are at least 2" deep)
- Make the sponge by mixing the butter or baking spread, peanut butter and caster sugar in a large bowl ideally using an electric mixer
- Add the eggs and mix until fully incorporated
- Add the self raising flour and fold in gently until you can't see any flour anymore
- Divide the mixture between the tins, use scales for accuracy if you like
- Bake them for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave them to fully cool either in the tins or on cooling racks
- If the cakes have domed on top, level them off with a cake leveller or a sharp knife
- To make the buttercream, mix the butter on it's own for a few minutes. Then add the peanut butter, cocoa powder, milk and icing sugar, ideally using an electric mixer. You can add more milk if the buttercream is too stiff
- Stack the sponges up on your plate or cake stand, piping or spreading buttercream between each layer. If you're using it, drizzle the Reese's Spread or peanut butter over each layer of buttercream, letting it drizzle over the sides. You will need to warm it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds first to get a pourable consistency
- When you get to the last layer, pipe larger rosettes all around the edge and smaller ones in the centre. Decorate with the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Mini Cups, and sprinkles if using
- Serve immediately, store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place and eat within 3 days
Notes
- Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
- I used a baking spread for the cake and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
- You can use regular caster sugar instead of golden caster sugar if you prefer.
- UPDATE Unfortunately the Reese's Spread has been discontinued. Instead, you can drizzle peanut butter between the layers and on top of the cake. You will need to warm the peanut butter in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to make it a pourable consistency first.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
Nutrition
If you like this, check out more of my Cake recipes!
NB. This post is NOT sponsored by Reese's - I just love their product!
Donna
Gosh I don't even like peanut butter and this looks fab! It's so neat and tall!!
Cat | Curly's Cooking
I don't know what I'm doing wrong but why hasn't Reece's spread been in my life before?! I haven't seen it in the supermarkets around me! This cake looks absolutely delicious. Another fantastic cake of yours!
Helen - Cooking with my kids
This looks fabulous. I've not had a peanut butter cup in years, but i'm tempted to go buy some now! #CookBlogShare
Monika Dabrowski
Gorgeous looking cake, peanut butter and chocolate are made for each other!
Jacqui Bellefontaine
Another amazing looking cake - How do you do it? I cvan pass on this one as im not a huge peanut butter fan but the rest of my crowd would love me to make it.
Chloe Edges
Another stunner of a cake! I want to eat it immediately and I don't even like Reece's Pieces!
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie
This looks AMAZING! Though I feel like I've put a stone on just looking at the photos - haha! When oh when will someone invent a way to take all the calories out of cake, but leave all the deliciousness??? Eb x
Bakingo
peanut butter cake looks amazing
Steph
Hi, just wondering if you've tried freezing the cake element of this recipe and if it turned out OK?
thebakingexplorer
Hi Steph, yes all of my cake sponges can be frozen, please see the paragraph on freezing for more details.
Alicia
Hi Kat, now ive baked the cakes...whats best way to store them please as I will only frost them on Wednesday. Double wrapped in cling film and in a container now but do they need to go in the fridge or will that dry them out. Any tips would be much appreciated! Thanks! Will share a review once its all frosted and tried! No doubt it will be a hit like all your other recipes ive tried! Thanks!
Alicia
Well what more can I say? This recipe was easy to make and turned out amazing as all of Kat's recipe have that ive tried. It was a clear winner for a family birthday who loves Reese's chocolate! Ive had lovely comments from all who tasted the cake. Will def be added to my list of fav celebration cakes. Its so quick and easy that u can even make 1 layer for a treat to be enjoyed anytime! Who needs to wait for a birthday?? Thanks again Kat! Will be trying another recipe soon!