Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 9″ cake pans with cooking spray and flour generously.

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and egg whites, one at a time. Scrape down bowl and beaters.

In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Beat into creamed mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Scrape down bowl and beaters and continue mixing on medium speed for one minute. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 28-30 minutes and until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. This actually ended up being about 35 minutes in my oven with the 6″x2″ pans.

Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely on cooling rack.

When cakes have completely cooled, place one layer on plate and spread peanut butter filling over the top. Repeat with remaining layers but do not top the last layer with peanut butter filling.

Peanut Butter Filling

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup marshmallow creme (Fluff)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled
Pinch salt

Mix all of the filling ingredients together with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scraping down the bowl as necessary.

Chocolate Ganache

1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Combine the ganache ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 15-20 second increments until cream is hot enough to melt the chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and ganache is smooth. Pour ganache over the top of the cake and let it run down the sides.