Chocolate Espresso Cake With Peanut Butter Frosting Rum Drizzle Recipe 415

CHOCOLATE AND ESPRESSO LAYER CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER ICING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two 8-inch nonstick cake pans with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, espresso, coconut oil, vanilla and eggs. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add in the wet mixture, whisking until just combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake on the center rack until puffed, the sides pull away from the edges and an inserted cake tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven, immediately cover them with clean kitchen towels and press any domed portions down¿careful, it's hot! (This will help make sure that you don't have to level the cakes.) Allow the cakes to cool in their pans to room temperature. When completely cooled, invert onto plates.
• For the icing: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed, about 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides with a spatula to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Add the peanut butter and mix on medium speed to combine. Again, turn the mixer off. Mix in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on LOW speed (or else you'll have powdered sugar everywhere!). Add the vanilla and mix once more.
• Transfer the icing to a piping bag. Ice the top of one cake layer, using a circular motion, starting from the outside and gradually moving to the center; do not ice the sides of the cake. Set the second cake layer on top of the first and repeat with the icing; again, do not ice the sides. Drag the back of a spoon in a side-to-side motion across the icing on top to lend a beautifully textured look to the icing.
• Sprinkle the iced cake with the chopped peanuts. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING & RUM DRIZZLE RECIPE - (4.1/5)

Steps:

• To Make the Cake Layers: Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325. Generously butter two 9-inch cake pans; dust with cocoa, tapping out excess. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Sift 2 cups cake flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions, beating just until blended after each addition. Gradually add hot espresso-water mixture, beating just until smooth. Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run small knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Invert cakes onto racks; lift pans off cakes and remove parchment. Place wire rack atop each cake, invert again so top side is up. Cool completely. Mark each cake layer with toothpicks halfway up the sides; use the toothpicks as a guide to cut each cake layer in half. To Make the Frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the peanut butter and butter for 2-3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, scrape the sides of the bowl and mix on high for one minute. Add the rum and vanilla and mix in. Add the heavy cream and beat until smooth; scraping the sides. Beat for 3 minutes on high. Use immediately For the Rum Drizzle: Put all of the ingredients into a medium size saucepan. Heat until bubbly and cook for one minute. Cool completely. Putting it all together: Spread a tablespoon of frosting in the middle of your cake plate to help hold cake in place. Brush crumbs from one cake layer and put in the middle of the plate. Drizzle one Tablespoon of rum drizzle over cake layer and spread 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting on cake, smoothing to edges. Repeat with all layers. I used the back of a small spoon to even the frosting along the edges but that's really optional. Swirl frosting over top of cake and either pipe rosettes in the center of the cake on the top or dollop additional frosting and swirl in center. Gently pour rum drizzle over cake; letting pool on top and drip down the sides. Serve.