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Easy Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe

Easy Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

A thin, tender peanut butter Texas sheet cake baked in a jelly-roll pan and covered with warm, creamy peanut butter frosting. It makes about 24 servings and is ready in approximately 45–55 minutes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 2 cups (240 g) All-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (400 g) Granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup (227 g) Unsalted butter
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/2 cup Creamy peanut butter
  • 2 eggs Large eggs
  • 1/2 cup Buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Frosting
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) Unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup Creamy peanut butter
  • 6 tablespoons, plus more if needed Milk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 4 cups (about 480 g) Powdered sugar, sifted

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease and lightly flour a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
  2. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
  3. Combine the butter, water, and peanut butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until melted and smooth, but do not let the mixture boil vigorously.
  4. Pour the warm peanut butter mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until mostly combined.
  5. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla together in a separate bowl. Add this mixture to the batter and stir only until smooth.
  6. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the center springs back lightly and a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
  7. For the frosting, heat the butter, peanut butter, and milk in a saucepan until melted and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
  8. Gradually beat or whisk in the sifted powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Add a teaspoon or two of milk if it feels too thick.
  9. Spread the frosting over the cake while it is still warm. Let the cake cool before slicing into squares.

Notes

Use regular creamy peanut butter rather than natural peanut butter for the most consistent batter and frosting. Do not overbake the thin cake, and frost it while warm so the topping spreads easily and sets into a smooth, slightly fudgy layer.