A Buckeye cake is chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, and a chocolate glaze drizzled on top. If you thought I got a little heavy handed with the frosting in between the cake layers, that’s not frosting – it’s a peanut butter cheesecake! Oh yeah.
Peanut butter cheesecake layer:
- 2 – 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
Chocolate cake:
1 box chocolate cake mix, prepared according to directions and baked in 2 – 9″ round cake pans.
Peanut butter frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Chocolate peanut butter glaze:
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- Make the peanut butter cheesecake a day in advance, it needs to chill in the refrigerator before layering with the chocolate cake.
- Preheat oven to 325º and grease a 9″ springform pan – I lined the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
- Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and flour to gather until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the milk.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes at 325º – then lower the temperature to 260º and continue to bake for another 50 to 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill.
- Bake the chocolate cake according to the directions on the package in two 9″ cake pans, and let cool.
- Next, make the peanut butter frosting. Cream together the butter and peanut butter together until light and fluffy, then add 2 cups of the confectioners sugar. Beat in half the cream, then remaining confectioners sugar, followed by the rest of the cream.
- For the chocolate peanut butter glaze, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and corn syrup in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water. When melted, remover from heat and whisk in the cream, until well blended.
- To assemble the cake – place one layer of chocolate cake on a plate, and spread 1/4 of the chocolate peanut butter glaze on top.
- Run a knife around the perimeter of the cheesecake layer and remove the sides. The bottom of the springform pan will be on top of the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake upside down on the chocolate cake layer. Slide a knife between the pan bottom and the cheesecake to release it, and lift it off.
- Pour 1/4 of the chocolate glaze over the cheesecake and spread to the edges. Place the second chocolate cake layer on top. Place cake in the fridge to firm up a bit.
- Cover the top and sides with the peanut butter frosting.
- Microwave the chocolate glaze for 5 to 10 seconds to soften it up. Whisk it to combine, and pour over the top of the cake, use an offset spatula to spread the glaze to the edge of cake, letting it drip over the side. Store cake in the fridge.
