Name: Chocolate-Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more, softened, for pan; 1.333 cups unbleached all- purpose flour; 0.5 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal); 4 large eggs, room temperature; 1.5 cups granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract; 1 cup sour cream, room temperature; 1 stick unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural), such as Jif; 1.5 cups confectioners' sugar; 0.25 cup sour cream, room temperature; 0.333 cup chopped salted roasted peanuts

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

Martha Stewart Editors

Updated on January 20, 2021

chocolate-peanut butter sheet cake recipe — Photo: Con Poulos

Prep Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 10 mins

Yield:

10 to 12 Serves

This sweet and simple sheet cake marries two great flavors that just plain belong together: rich and tender chocolate cake, and creamy peanut-butter frosting. For maximum fluff, go for a classic smooth variety of peanut butter, and plug in your mixer—manpower alone won't be enough. Scatter chopped peanuts along the edges for any crunchy fans in the house.

Ingredients

Cake

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more, softened, for pan
1 ⅓ cups unbleached all- purpose flour
½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural), such as Jif
1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
¼ cup sour cream, room temperature
⅓ cup chopped salted roasted peanuts

Directions

Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 9-by-13-inch or 8-by-12-inch baking pan with butter. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides. Butter parchment.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Combine eggs and granulated sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until thick and pale, about 4 minutes. Add flour mixture; beat just to combine. Add butter and vanilla; beat to combine. Add sour cream; beat until smooth.
Scrape batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with a spatula. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes (for 9-by-13-inch) or about 40 minutes (for 8-by-12).
Let cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Using parchment overhangs, lift cake out of pan and let cool completely on rack. (Cake can be made to this point and stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, up to 1 day.)
Frosting: Beat butter and peanut butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in confectioners' sugar until thick and fluffy. Remove from mixer; stir in sour cream by hand until frosting is silky and dense. Spread over cake; sprinkle top with peanuts. Frosted cake is best the day it's assembled, but can be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic, up to 1 day. Return to room temperature before serving.