Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup oil ((vegetable or canola oil))
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water (, or hot coffee)
  • 1 batch Peanut Butter Frosting
  • 1/2 cup butter ((1 stick), melted)
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (for topping on cake, optional)

Instruction

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round baking pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  • Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. 
  • Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. 
  • Stir in the boiling water (your batter will be very thin--that's OK!). Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
  • Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
  • Once cakes have cooled, use a sharp serrated knife to cut each cake horizontally in half, so that you end up with four, thin cake rounds.
  • Place one cake layer on serving plate. Smooth 1/3 of the peanut butter frosting on top of that cake layer. Repeat with the remaining cake layers, adding a layer of peanut butter frosting between each layer of cake.