My boyfriend's birthday cake!!

Growing up, I have always considered myself a "vanilla" girl. If given the choice between vanilla and chocolate, it would always be vanilla.  So, it wasn't until I started dating my boyfriend that I became accustomed to the taste and joy of chocolate.

For his birthday, I decided to bake him a chocolate cake with peanut butter buttercream. But with a surprise in between the two layers. To add more texture to the cake, I chopped up Reeses peanut butter cups and folded them into the icing. To me, I feel this takes the normal chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting to the next level.

The recipe for the cake is adapted from the Hershey's cookbook. In my eyes, it is by far the best!!

 Black Magic Cake:

Ingredients:

•   1 3/4 cups of unsifted all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of sugar
• 3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of strong black coffee (or 2 teaspoons of instant coffee granules + 1 cup of boiling water)
• 1 cup of buttermilk or sour milk (1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar + milk to equal 1 cup)
• 1/2 vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Steps:

 Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixer bowl.
 Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk or sour milk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
** Batter will be thin **

Pour into greased and floured 13x9-inch pan or two 9-inch layer pans.
Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes for 13x9-inch pan and 30 to 35 minutes for layer pans.
 Cool for 10 minutes, and remove from pans. Cool completely and frost as desired.

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting:

•   1 stick of butter (softened)
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter or more to taste
• 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons of milk or heavy whipping cream

Cream together the butter and peanut butter. 

Add the powdered sugar and mix until well blended. 

Add milk or heavy whipping cream until creamy. (May add more for creamier frosting)

ENJOY!