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Peanut Butter Cake is a moist, tender sheet cake packed with peanut butter flavor and topped with the dreamiest peanut butter frosting. I bake this in a 9×13 for birthday parties and potlucks, and it always vanishes first, even faster than our peanut butter oatmeal cookies.
If you are a peanut butter lover, this easy sheet cake is about to become your new favorite dessert.
Peanut Butter Cake Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 40 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 55 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 15 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 480kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Moist peanut butter cake with rich, creamy peanut butter frosting
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, beginner-friendly like our peanut butter oatmeal cookies
Quick Answer
To make a Peanut Butter Cake, cream together butter and peanut butter, then beat in granulated and brown sugar followed by eggs and vanilla. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk until you have a smooth batter, spread it in a 9×13 pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Once cooled, frost with a fluffy peanut butter frosting, then slice and serve.
Jump to:
- Peanut Butter Cake Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Peanut Butter Cake
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Peanut Butter Cake FAQs
- Other Recommended Peanut Butter and Cake Recipes
- Easy Peanut Butter Cake
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Peanut butter in the cake and frosting. Creamy peanut butter goes into both the batter and the frosting for double the rich, nutty flavor.
- Brown sugar for moisture. A mix of brown and granulated sugar keeps the cake soft, tender, and moist for days.
- Alternating flour and milk. Adding the dry and wet ingredients in batches keeps the batter smooth and prevents overmixing.
- A simple sheet cake. Baking it in one 9×13 pan means no layers to stack and easy slicing for a crowd.
- Whipped peanut butter frosting. Whipping the frosting with heavy cream makes it light, fluffy, and easy to spread.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is moist, tender, and loaded with real peanut butter flavor in every bite.
- The easy 9×13 sheet cake format means no fussy layers and plenty to feed a crowd.
- That fluffy peanut butter frosting is reason enough to make it, much like the frosting on our American buttercream.
Key Ingredients
Here is what gives this Peanut Butter Cake its moist crumb and rich flavor. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: No-stir peanut butter goes into both the cake and the frosting for big peanut butter flavor.
- Brown and Granulated Sugar: The combination keeps the cake moist and tender with a soft crumb.
- Butter and Eggs: They add richness and structure for a sturdy yet tender sheet cake.
- Whole Milk: Alternated with the flour, it keeps the batter smooth and the cake moist.
- Powdered Sugar and Heavy Cream: The base of a fluffy peanut butter frosting, similar to our chocolate cream cheese frosting.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This Peanut Butter Cake is easy to make your own.
- Chocolate peanut butter: Top it with chocolate frosting or a chocolate ganache instead for a classic combo.
- Add candy: Sprinkle chopped peanut butter cups or mini chocolate chips over the frosting.
- Make it a layer cake: Divide the batter between two round pans and stack with frosting in the middle.
- More peanut butter treats: Turn the same flavor into our peanut butter oatmeal cookies.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cake
- Cream the softened butter and peanut butter together until smooth and combined.
- Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix until light and creamy.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fully combined.
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix it in until just combined.
- Add half of the milk, then repeat with the remaining flour and milk, scraping down the sides until the batter is smooth.
- Spread the batter in a greased 9×13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, then frost with the peanut butter frosting.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Softened butter, eggs, and milk blend into a smoother, more even batter.
- Use no-stir peanut butter. Natural, oily peanut butter can make the cake greasy and dense.
- Do not overmix. Mix just until the flour disappears to keep the crumb tender.
- Cool completely before frosting. Frosting a warm cake melts the peanut butter frosting right off.
- Whip the frosting. Beating it with heavy cream for a couple of minutes makes it light and spreadable.
- Check for doneness. Pull the cake when a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This Peanut Butter Cake is delicious all on its own, but a drizzle of melted chocolate or a scoop of vanilla ice cream takes it over the top, much like the topping on our cherry dump cake.
It is a perfect make-ahead dessert for birthdays, potlucks, and bake sales. Set it out next to our spice layer cake and banana bundt cake for a dessert table the whole family will love.
Cut it into neat squares and serve with a cold glass of milk or hot coffee. Leftovers stay moist for days, so it is just as good the next afternoon.
Peanut Butter Cake FAQs
Yes. Divide the batter between two 9-inch round pans and reduce the bake time, then stack the layers with peanut butter frosting in between.
Use a no-stir, creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Natural, oily peanut butter can make the cake greasy and the frosting separate.
Store the frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring slices to room temperature before serving.
Yes. Freeze the unfrosted, cooled cake wrapped tightly for up to 3 months. Thaw, then frost before serving. You can also freeze frosted slices.
Dry cake usually means it was overbaked or the flour was overmeasured. Spoon and level the flour and pull the cake as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.
Absolutely. Bake the cake a day ahead and store it wrapped, then make and add the frosting the day you plan to serve it.
Craving more peanut butter desserts? Try our peanut butter oatmeal cookies or whip up a batch of American buttercream next.
Easy Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup whole milk
For the peanut butter frosting:
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with baking spray, set aside.
- In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt, set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- In a large bowl mix together the butter and peanut butter until smooth with an electric hand mixer. Add the sugars and mix until combined.¾ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar
- Add the eggs and vanilla, mix it in until combined.2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix it in.
- Lastly, add half of the milk and mix it in. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk. Scrape down the sides as needed.¾ cup whole milk
- Add the batter to the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack completely.
- While the cake is cooling, make the frosting by mixing the peanut butter and butter together in a medium-sized bowl with an electric hand mixer until smooth.¾ cup creamy peanut butter, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until mixed in, it will be thick.2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla, mix it in until combined, then whip on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.4 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once the cake is cooled, frost with the peanut butter frosting, cut, and serve.
Notes
- You can use another frosting if you prefer, chocolate or regular buttercream are great.
- Top with peanuts, chocolate chips, hot fudge sauce, or chocolate syrup.
- This can be cut in half and baked in a 9×9-inch pan if desired.
- This can be frozen, see my tips above.
Nutrition
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