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This Peanut Butter Sheet Cake is a super moist, tender cake with smooth and creamy peanut butter frosting on top. It’s easy to whip up and loved by all!
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Any peanut butter lovers out there?! Well hello and nice to meet you! 😉 This easy cake recipe is right up your alley – a peanut butter lover’s dream come true!!
Have you ever had a Texas Sheet Cake? That’s where the inspiration for this came from. I love the moist, tender texture of a Texas sheet cake and thought it would be fun to make a peanut butter version (very similar recipe without the cocoa powder and with the addition of peanut butter)!
I thought it would be good, but never dreamed it would be THIS GOOD. Seriously, it’s absolutely heavenly!!
Ingredients Needed for the Cake
- All-Purpose Flour
- White Sugar
- Brown Sugar – Light or dark brown sugar will work great.
- Salt
- Baking Soda
- Butter – I use salted butter in this recipe.
- Water
- Peanut Butter – I recommend using regular, full fat peanut butter for this recipe; I do not recommend using natural peanut butter or crunchy style peanut butter as it will change the texture of the cake.
- Buttermilk – You can use buttermilk from the grocery store or make your own with milk and vinegar (details in recipe card notes below).
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs – I use “large” eggs when baking.
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioners sugar.
- Milk – You could also use heavy cream.
How to Make Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
Make the Peanut Butter Cake Batter
I like to start by preparing my pan and turning on the oven so it’s nice and hot when the cake is ready to pop into the oven.
To make the batter, you’ll start by adding the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
Next, you’ll add the butter, water and peanut butter to a saucepan and place it over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil.
Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and stir.
Then, you’ll whisk together remaining wet ingredients in a separate bowl and pour it into the cake batter.
Whisk until it’s completely mixed, pour into the prepared pan and bake!
Peanut Butter Cake Frosting
I decided to go with a peanut butter frosting to really bring home the peanut butter flavor!! However, a chocolate frosting would be incredible as well if you want to go that route!
For the frosting, you’ll need butter (be sure it’s softened), creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.
When making the frosting, I find it easiest to use a large bowl with a hand mixer or my handy dandy KitchenAid stand mixer. Either way, you’ll start by beating the butter and peanut butter until it’s nice and smooth. Nobody wants chunks of butter in their frosting!
Next, you’ll add half of the powdered sugar and the vanilla. Once smooth, you’ll add the remaining powdered sugar and enough milk to make a smooth, creamy spreading consistency.
You can either carefully spread it over a warm cake (the butter will melt and make it a yummy warm icing OR let the cake cool and spread it nicely over the cake (which is what I did).
Pro Tip! No buttermilk on hand? No worries!! Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Pour in enough milk to make 1/2 cup total. Give it a stir and proceed with the recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions
I added a few chopped salted peanuts on top of the cake for a simple look and a little added crunch. You could also sprinkle it with mini chocolate chips, crushed peanut butter cookies (I love the crunch of Nutter Butter cookies!), chocolate sprinkles or colored sprinkles!
You can cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid or cover with plastic wrap. It’ll stay good at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Absolutely!! You can freeze slices of the cake in an airtight container or in freezer bags for up to 2 months. If you stack the cake, be sure to add a piece of parchment paper between layers so the frosting doesn’t stick together.
Though I prefer the thicker style of this cake, it can certainly be made in a jelly roll or sheet pan and still be a deliciously moist cake. It’ll take several minutes less time in the oven, so be sure to make note of that.
It reminds me of the flavor of my No Bake Peanut Butter Pie. The cake portion is very moist and reminiscent of a Texas Sheet Cake while the frosting reminds me more of a peanut butter fudge; smooth, creamy and decadent!
More Sheet Cake Recipes
Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
Equipment
- One 9×13-inch pan
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup butter I use salted butter
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup buttermilk*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and grease a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray.
- Add the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt and baking soda to a large bowl; stir and set aside.2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Add the butter and water to a saucepan; bring to a boil then remove from the heat.1 cup butter, 1 cup water
- Stir the peanut butter into the water/butter mixture until smooth.1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- Pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Pour over the batter and stir to combine.1/2 cup buttermilk*, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 eggs
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread to an even layer.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick pressed into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool for an hour.
Make the Frosting
- Add the butter and peanut butter to a mixing bowl.1/2 cup butter, 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- Use a hand mixer (or a stand mixer) to mix until smooth.
- Add about 1/2 of the powdered sugar and the vanilla; stir until smooth.2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk.2-3 tablespoons milk
- Beat for 1 minute, until smooth and creamy! Add an additional tablespoon of milk, if needed.
- Spread over the cooled cake.
Making this for the Super Bowl today. I know my gang is going to flip over it! Everybody loves peanut butter. 😍
Add some drained, crushed pineapple to the peanut butter frosting. The ladies in the cafeteria at my school ( back in the day ) made it that way, and it was delicious
Thank you for your good peanut butter cake easy recipe