This is the ultimate Nutella and peanut butter cake. It is a thick moist chocolate cake. The cake is filled with whipped Nutella and peanut butter cream cheese. Smother this cake in peanut butter frosting and Nutella ganache for the BEST cake ever!
How To Make Moist Chocolate Cake
This chocolate cake is super fluffy and easy to make. Even cold, it is super moist! This recipe creates thick cake layers.
- Pull dairy ingredients- Pull the eggs and buttermilk out 2 hours before baking. This will give the cake a better rise.
- Mix dry ingredients- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl before you mix them. Use the sifter to get rid of any lumps. Make sure to use a bowl large enough to mix everything together once you add the wet ingredients.
- Mix wet ingredients- In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together except the hot water. Once mixed, very slowly add in the hot water. Go slow to not cook the eggs.
- Add in the wet ingredients- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix on low until combined. Scrape the bowl to make sure it is all mixed in.
What Cake Pans To Use
The cake pans I used were three 8 inch cake pans. These are the best because they give the cake an even rise. Don't use non-stick cake pans.
Next, spray the pans with baking non-stick spray. Place an 8 inch parchment circle on the bottom of each cake pan and spray again. This helps to prevent the cakes from sticking.
Whipped Cream Cheese Fillings
I use whipped cream cheese with a lot of of my cakes. It is so yummy and it tastes like a no bake pie filling.
Start by beating the room temperature cream cheese with a hand mixer for 1 minute. Then, add in the powdered sugar. Mix until it is creamy. Since this is for two fillings, separate the cream cheese into two bowls.
Add the Nutella to one bowl and peanut butter to the other. Use the hand mixer to beat until combined.
Next, make the whipped cream. The key is to have the metal bowl and whisk attachment you are using be cold! Place them in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Then, beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Pour half of the whipped cream into each bowl. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the mixtures.
Now you have two creamy fillings! Make this right before decorating cake. Place it in the fridge until decorating.
Peanut Butter Frosting
This frosting is so good you can lick it with a spoon! The saltiness from the peanut butter tones down the sweetness from the buttercream. It is SO good.
To make it, beat slightly cold butter until soft and fluffy. Once fluffy, add in the peanut butter. It should be very fluffy! Then, add in the sifted powdered sugar. Make sure it is sifted well to prevent a gritty frosting.
The frosting should be very thick at this point. Add in the heavy cream and beat on high for 5 minutes. It should become a light and creamy frosting.
Chill the frosting for 15 minutes before using. This will help solidify the butter. Then, use a wooden spoon to beat all of the air bubbles. This part is important to get a creamy frosting.
Tips To Assemble The Cake
- Place a small amount of frosting on the bottom of the board you are decorating the cake on. This will keep the cake in place.
- Place first layer bottom side down. Pipe a layer of frosting around the edge of the cake. This will be the barrier so no filling leaks out. Place one of the fillings on the cake. My first layer I used the Nutella filling.
- Repeat with the second layer. Then, place last layer bottom side up. This will give the flattest surface for decorating the cake.
- Freeze the cake for 10 minutes. The filling is so soft, so you need to chill the cake before you can frost. Otherwise it will be wobbly.
- Next, apply a light layer of frosting on the cake. It should be super light you can see cake layers peeping through. This is the crumb coat that will lock the cake in place.
- Freeze the cake for 15 minutes. Then, frost the rest of the cake.
- Make the Nutella ganache. Pour it on the top of the cake and use an off set spatula to push it off the edge of the cake.
Topping The Cake
To make this cake more fun, I add extra chocolates on top!
I added the Ferrero Rocher truffles because they are coated in hazelnuts. Then, I add mini unwrapped Reese's peanut butter cups on top. Any other peanut butter chocolate would work so well with this cake, too!
I also added mini chocolate chips on top of this cake. This is quite the cake, so it should be dressed up.
Storing The Cake
This Nutella and peanut butter cake HAS to be stored in the fridge. The fillings are very soft and will get melty if left out at room temperature. Keep the cake in a cake carrier in the fridge. It will be good for 5 days.
Freezing The Cake
You can freeze the chocolate cake layers if you make them ahead of time. Wrap the cooled cakes in cling wrap tightly, then freeze. I would only freeze for a few days before decorating.
Pull the cakes out 1 hour before decorating to thaw.
You can also freeze individual Nutella and peanut butter cake slices. Wrap each slice in cling wrap and then store in an air tight container. They will last up to 30 days.
To thaw, bring it out of the freezer 1 hour before eating.
Other Cake Recipes To Try
Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats and leave me a review below if you made this cake. I hope you loved it! To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
📖 Recipe
Nutella and Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Plus 2 tablespoon Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 ¼ cup White granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup Oil Canola or vegetable
- 1 ½ cup Buttermilk room temperature
- 4 Large eggs room temperature
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1 ½ cup Hot water
Whipped Cream Cheese
- 4 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup Powdered sugar
- ¼ cup Nutella
- ¼ cup Peanut butter creamy
- ¾ cup Heavy cream cold
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups Unsalted butter slightly cold
- 1 cup Peanut butter creamy
- 1 tablespoon Pure vanilla extract
- 7 ½ cups Powdered sugar sifted
- ¼ cup Heavy cream
Nutella Ganache
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- 1 cup Nutella
- 1 tablespoon Unsalted butter
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F Spray three 8 inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray. Line the bottoms with 8 inch parchment circles and spray again.
- In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use the mixer on low and mix for 10 seconds.
- In a separate bowl, mix the vanilla, buttermilk, oil, and eggs together until combined. Heat the water in a sauce pan until steaming. Very slowly mix it into the wet ingredients. Go slow to not over cook the eggs.
- Slowly add in the wet ingredients into the dry. Scrape the bowl and mix on low for another 15 seconds. Evenly pour the batter between the three cake pans.
- Bake for 16-20 minutes. They are done baking when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Leave cakes in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Allow cakes to cool completely before decorating.
Whipped Cream Cheese
- Make this right before decorating. Place metal bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes. This makes it easier to whip up whipped cream. In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer to beat cream cheese for 1 minute.
- Add in the sifted powdered sugar and mix again on low until combined. Add in vanilla and turn to high and mix until smooth. Separate the cream cheese into 2 bowls. Add in Nutella to one bowl, and peanut butter to the other. Mix one bowl and a time until smooth and creamy.
- Pour heavy cream into cold bowl. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. Separate the whipped cream in half and pour into each bowl. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold whipped cream in each bowl. Gently fold to not deflate the whipped cream.
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- Set the butter on the counter for 30 minutes to get slightly cold butter. Sift the powdered sugar while you wait.
- Using a mixer, beat the butter for 3 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Add in the peanut butter and beat for another minute. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined.
- Add in vanilla and heavy cream. Beat on low until just combined. Then, turn to high and beat for 5 minutes. Take off mixer. Chill for 15 minutes. Then, beat by hand with a wooden spoon to get rid of air bubbles.
Nutella Ganache
- In a bowl, pour in Nutella and the butter. Make sure butter is chopped into small pieces scattered evenly. Heat heavy cream in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Heat until hot and steaming.
- Pour heavy cream over Nutella. Place cling wrap over the bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, use a rubber spatula to stir until creamy and smooth.
Assembly
- Place a small amount of frosting on the bottom of whatever you are decorating the cake on. This will be the glue to hold the cake in place.
- Place first layer bottom side down. Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge of the cake. Spread Nutella whipped cream cheese on top of the cake. Make sure it is smooth. The filling should equal 1 cup.
- Repeat with the next layer but with the peanut butter whipped cream. Place the last layer bottom side up. Freeze the cake for 8 minutes to solidify the soft layers.
- Frost a light layer of frosting around the cake. This is the crumb coat and you should see bit of the cake peeping through the frosting. Freeze for 15 minutes. Then, frost the rest of the cake.
- Pour the ganache on top of the cake. Use an offset icing spatula to push the ganache over the edge of the cake. Go around the edges to drip the ganache down the cake. Use a turntable for easy application. Freeze for 8 minutes before piping any frosting borders on top of cake.
Taylor Reynolds says
Is 7.5 cups on the peanut butter frosting correct?
Camilla says
Hey,
Last time I made this cake, my chocolate cake became very dense. Do you have any idea were I went wrong? My cake didn't raise very much and my batter was extremly wattery.
cheers,
Camilla
Stephanie Rutherford says
So the cake batter is supposed to be very runny. However, if it didn't rise much and it was dense. It was probably because you compacted the flour. It needs to be spooned into the measuring cup then level off the top. Too much flour causes dense cakes.
John Hoe. says
As a fellow bulker I love this I burn 100 calories every day and weigh 269 and ate 4 slices of this then saw the calories in each slice, once I saw 1000 calories I jumped up and walked for 20 minutes and burned 90 calories then ate 2 more slices and then had dinner and lunch together. Way too many calories as my intake today was around 8000 calories.