I have to say I love this peanut butter buttercream more than peanut butter. It’s light, fluffy and delicious. The perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness makes this buttercream so addictive. And the melt-in-your-mouth texture is simply to die for.
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Crack in the eggs, spoon in the sour cream, and pour in the oil and the vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.
Pour in the hot coffee, slowly mix until smooth. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans and smooth the top. Put the pans in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes. Then invert them out of the pans onto a rack and let them cool completely.
For the buttercream:
Beat peanut butter and butter for a few minutes in the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add powdered sugar, turn the mixer on low and beat until the sugar incorporates with the butter. Add vanilla and heavy cream and beat on medium speed for another 3 minutes or until buttercream becomes light and fluffy.
To assemble the cake:
Place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread the top of it with 1/3 cup of frosting. Place another cake layer on top, and gently press down a little bit. Spread with another 1/3 cup frosting. Place the last layer of cake on top and smear frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
Transfer the remaining buttercream to a piping bag with a large round tip. Set aside.
Cover and refrigerate the cake while you prepare the ganache.
For the ganache:
Place the chocolate, heavy cream and corn syrup in a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir the mixture using a wooden spoon until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.
Remove cakes from the refrigerator. Pour ganache over the top of the cakes. Use an offset spatula to gently push the ganache over the sides of the cake to create the dripping effect.
Refrigerate the cake for 5 minutes to set the ganache before piping the big dollops of buttercream on top as garnish.
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My husband doesn’t like cake but he LOVED this! Thanks for the delicious recipe! (Subbed hot cocoa for coffee cuz we don’t do coffee & worked great)
I have made this cake many times and everyone raves about it! I, too, love the peanut butter buttercream and agree that it is simply addictive! 
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by Beth Pierce in
Desserts
Prep: Cook:
Serves: 16 Level: Easy
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Fanny | Oh Sweet Day! on 6.29.2014
moxie mama, looks like you have smartly made the cake even more delicious!
moxie mama on 6.25.2014
Stacefacex9 I subbed in a rich double chocolate cocoa for the coffee and it was delicious
StaceFacex9 on 1.21.2014
This looks wonderful, but I really am not a fan of coffee, AT ALL! I don’t even have a coffee maker. I was wondering if you can taste the cup of coffee in this cake?