Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee Cake

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee Cake - Piece of Cake Cookbook
Peanut Butter Crunch Cake from Piece of Cake Cookbook

Last week, I went to Smart & Final (a mini warehouse type store with more restaurant stuff than Costco) and picked up two giant jars of peanut butter. Thus, the peanut butter kick is on.

The recipe is from From Piece of Cake: Home Baking Made Simple by David Muniz and David Lesniak. Published by Rizzoli, the cookbook is filled with homey favorites. Beautiful photographs, easy to understand instructions, and weight measurements are highlights. When do I know that I like a cookbook? When there are multiple post-it tabs peeking from the top...at last count, there were 10 tabs showing!

Americans David and David opened the Outsider Tart in London. Their book says it is the first American bakery in London. Have you been? Sounds like a fun place...more places to visit on my wish list of travel!

Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee Cake - Piece of Cake Cookbook
This coffee cake has two layers of melted chocolate chips & peanut butter. Yes, two layers of goodness. And the cake batter has peanut butter. As well as the topping. Um, any craving you have for peanut butter is satisfied with this cake.

Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee Cake - Piece of Cake Cookbook
I made this in the morning, but measured what I could the night before and laid out the ingredients - mise en place.

Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee Cake collage 1
For this recipe, you mix soft butters (unsalted butter and peanut butter) together with the sugar and flour. This makes a crumble. Pull out some of that for the topping and then add the liquid ingredients to complete the cake batter.

In the meantime, you melt chocolate chips with even more peanut butter. Then the whole thing gets assembled with two layers of batter and melted chocolate mixture. It's easy to put together! P.S. A small offset spatula is your friend to smooth out the batter.

Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee Cake - Piece of Cake Cookbook
Two layers of chocolate/peanut butter makes for a delightful coffeecake. I didn't let my cake fully cool (I was heading to work!) so the cutting was a bit messy. I image a cool cake might be nicer.

Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee Cake - Piece of Cake Cookbook
Everyone at work really enjoyed this cake! I think adults and kids alike will love this tasty cake.

Peanut Butter Crunch Cake
From Piece of Cake: Home Baking Made Simple by David Muniz and David Lesniak of Outsider Tart, London

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Swirl:
2 cups / 12 ounces / 340 grams - semisweet or milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup / 4 ounces / 115 grams - smooth peanut butter (I used Skippy)

Crumb & Batter:
3 cups / 16 ounces / 450 grams - all-purpose flour
2 cups packed / 16 ounces / 450 grams - light brown sugar
1 cup / 8 ounces / 225 grams / two sticks - unsalted butter, softened
1 cup / 8 ounces / 225 grams - smooth peanut butter
4 - large eggs, room temp
1 cup / 8 fluid ounces / 240 ml - whole milk (I used low-fat milk...I don't drink regular milk so I have those little kids cartons in the house to use one cup at a time. Some bakery aisles also have whole milk in shelf stable one-cup cartons)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep a pan by lining it with parchment and/or butter & flour. The cookbook uses a 9 x 12 pan, but I used a 9 x 13 pan. If you use a bigger pan, be sure to check it a few minutes earlier.

2. Make the swirl by melting the chocolate chips and peanut butter until smooth. I used a double boiler, but the cookbook says to use low heat in a small saucepan. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the rest of the batter.

3. For the crumb and batter, mix the flour, sugar, butter and peanut butter in an electric mixture with paddle attachment on LOW speed until coarse crumbs form.

4. Topping: Pull out 3 packed cups of the mixture and set aside.

5. Batter: Add eggs, one at a time, then add milk, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the remaining mixture. Turn up to medium speed and beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth.

6. Assembly: Spread half the batter in the pan. Drizzle half the melted chocolate mixture on top. Spread the remaining batter on top. Drizzle the remaining chocolate mixture, followed by the crumb topping. Gently press the crumbs into the cake.

7. Bake at 50-60 minutes (if you are making this in a 9 x 13 pan, start checking at 40-45 minutes). It's done when a toothpick comes out clean. If the topping starts getting too brown, you can loosely cover with aluminum foil. Let cake cool on wire rack and then cut into squares. Enjoy!


*Full disclosure: I get a small % from Amazon if you purchase the book from this link.
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7 comments:

wandering educators said... [Reply to comment]

Must.Make.Now. Thank you! I make my own pb and this looks Wonderful!

vanillasugarblog said... [Reply to comment]

GAH!
I am so making this!

Katie said... [Reply to comment]

Sounds and looks absolutely divine. Love how you can clearly see the layers. Yum!

Fabi said... [Reply to comment]

Not of this earth. I will dream of this cake tonight while my stomach roars. F***ing diet.
Seriously, great recipe. Big hug Mary :-)

United Cakedom said... [Reply to comment]

I, like the David's, am an American in England. Unfortunately I don't live in London and I haven't been to there bakery. But I have been to their market stall and I met them at a book signing. Their book is one of my most reached for books! I have tried loads might I suggest the blackout cake for no reason at all except it was the best chocolate cake I hav ever eaten. Maybe all blackout cakes are like that, but it was my first.

I haven't made ths peanut butter crunch cake and yours looks absolutely delicious so I think I know what to bake next!!

Nutmeg Nanny said... [Reply to comment]

Oh my goodness, this looks dangerously addicting! I must make this.

Giclee guy said... [Reply to comment]

I think an "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" just about covers it!

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