Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cake

So, it was my birthday yesterday, which means we had birthday cake.  If you follow this blog at all, you know I go all out on birthday cakes.  This one is definitely a keeper...it's a chocolate fudge cake, filled with a peanut butter filling, frosted with a dark chocolate buttercream, and topped off with a peanut butter icing and dairy-free peanut butter cups....yeah, it's divine!

Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cake
3/4 cup dairy-free margarine, softened (or butter if you can tolerate it)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups GF flour blend
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups dairy-free milk
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour (with GF flour) two 8-9" round cake pans and set aside.

Cream margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy (beat for a few minutes at least).  Add in eggs, one at a time, while mixing, and then mix in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the dairy-free milk.  Add in the melted chocolate and beat thoroughly.  You are looking for a whipped texture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pans and bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Peanut Butter Filling
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat ingredients together, then spread (or press, it is thick) the filling on top of one cake layer and place the other cake layer on top of it.

Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup dairy-free margarine, softened
2/3 cup dutch processed cocoa (or Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa)
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup dairy-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat ingredients together until desired consistency is reached and top cake with it. Allow frosting to set, before continuing on with the peanut butter icing.

Peanut Butter Icing
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup dairy-free milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk together ingredients and pour over the top of the cake, smoothing it and allowing it to drip over the sides.  Top with a few Justin Nut Butter Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter cups if desired.


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