CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE WITH BUTTERFINGER FROSTING

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake With Butterfinger Frosting image

I made this for my birthday last year and it is incredible. This appeared in last year's Bon Appetit. Now I have two cakes to pick from for my birthday..this and the Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake. Can you tell I'm head over heels for this winning combination?

Provided by greysangel

Categories Dessert

Time P2DT25m

Yield 12-16 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup old-fashioned natural-style chunky peanut butter
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup old-fashioned chunky peanut butter (natural)
1 lb golden brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 (12 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, divided
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
2 butterfinger candy bars, coarsely chopped

Steps:

For filling:.
Bring cream and sugar to simmer in saucepan, whisking to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in peanut butter. Chill uncovered overnight.
For cake:.
Preheat oven to 350°F Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl until blended. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. At low speed, beat in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions.
Divide batter among pans and spread evenly. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes 5 minutes. Turn out onto racks; peel off parchment. Cool cakes completely.
For frosting:.
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Whisk whipping cream and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in bowl until mixture holds medium-firm peaks. Fold into cream cheese mixture in 3 additions; chill until firm but spreadable, about 1 hour.
Place 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on 9-inch tart pan bottom. Spread with half of filling. Place another layer, bottom side up, on work surface. Spread with remaining filling; place atop first layer. Top with remaining cake layer, bottom side up.
Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before continuing.) Press candy and peanuts onto top of cake.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 911.7, Fat 56.2, SaturatedFat 31.9, Cholesterol 224.7, Sodium 471.6, Carbohydrate 93.9, Fiber 1.7, Sugar 68, Protein 12