Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

We celebrated The Boy’s birthday over the weekend with this perfect combo of rich chocolate cake and peanut butter frosting. This cake uses a Devil’s Food cake mix as a base, lots of eggs, dry pudding mix, and sour cream, the combination of which makes for a flavorful, moist cake. I used mini peanut butter cups to decorate the cake since it was a special occasion, you could also chop up peanut butter cups and sprinkle them on top if you’re so inclined!

For the cake:

• 1 box Duncan Hines Devil’s Food cake mix
• 1 – 3.9 oz. instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 1/4 cups mini chocolate chips
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 8 oz. sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350º, grease two 9″ pans, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, and chocolate chips.
3. With an electric mixer, mix in eggs, oil, and water. Stir in sour cream.
4. Divide the batter in the pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, testing with a toothpick.
5. Let cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups confectioners sugar
• pinch salt (omit if using salted butter)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter

1. In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add the cream cheese beating on medium-high speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Gradually add the confectioners sugar until incorporated and smooth. Add in the vanilla and salt, then beat in the peanut butter. Frost cake, store in the refrigerator.