Frank's Fabulous Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

I have been collecting recipes since I was a young girl, and I have to say that my very favorite recipes are the ones collected from family, friends, co-workers and neighbors. These are the recipes that have been tested again and again in home kitchens and most often have been passed from generation to generation.

This cake recipe is one of those recipes and came from my mom and dad's neighbor whose husband was a fantastic home baker. I made Frank's cake for my brother-in-law's birthday yesterday. The cocoa cake is light and moist, and the frosting - well, the frosting is unlike any other with the combination of cream cheese and peanut butter. 

This is a perfect cake to make for the peanut butter chocolate lover in your life. The cake disappeared in no time, but luckily I managed to save the last piece for the birthday boy to take home with him. 

Frank's Fabulous Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Cocoa Cake

3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1-3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder (I use Hershey's)

1-1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/3 cup water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 round 8 or 9-inch cake pans. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and add this mixture alternately with the water to the butter and sugar mixture. Pour batter into pans and bake 35 to 40 minutes for 8-inch pans or 30 to 35 minutes for 9-inch pans. Toothpick inserted into center of cake should come out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then cool completely before frosting.

Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream peanut butter, cream cheese, and butter together. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until creamy. Add vanilla. If frosting seems a little too thick, add about 5 drops of water. It should spread easily.

This cake must be kept in the refrigerator if it lasts that long! The frosting has a tendency to get too soft at room temperature.