Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE:

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease three 6-inch-round by 2-inch-high cake pans (15 cm round / 5 cm) with softened butter; dust pans with flour and knock out excess.

In a small saucepan, over low heat , bring the sour cream and water to a boil. Remove from heat Add instant coffee powder and cocoa powder. Stir until dissolved. Mix well until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Sift and stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the sugar and beat at high until well blended, about 2 minutes. At medium speed, beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add vanilla extract.

Add about one-third of flour mixture followed by half of chocolate mixture, mixing until incorporated after each addition (about 15 seconds). Repeat using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining chocolate mixture . Scrape down sides of bowl and add remaining flour mixture; mix at medium-low speed until batter is thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer and fold batter once or twice with rubber spatula to incorporate any remaining flour.

Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans; smooth batter to edges of pan with spatula. Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool cakes to room temperature before frosting, 45 to 60 minutes.

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING:

In a saucepan mix the dry ingredients : sugar, cornstarch and flour. Slowly mix in the milk and evaporated milk until well combined and lump free. Cook over medium heat. Whisk constantly until it thickens. Remove from heat. You can run through a sieve if you like. Lightly press some plastic wrap on top of the mixture. It will prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool and refrigerate it a few hours (overnight if possible).

In a bowl, cream the butter and the peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture.Keep beating and whipping until smooth and combined .

ASSEMBLY OF THE CAKE:

Freeze the layers 5 to 10 minutes until they’re firm enough. Trim if necessary. Place one of the cake layers, top of the cake facing down, onto your serving platter. Spread peanut butter frosting. Put the second layer on, add frosting again and then 3rd layer cake. Frost sides and top of the cake with a thin layer of peanut butter frosting (crumb coat) . Set aside in the fridge one more time. Then add a second coat of frosting and decorate it the way you want. Eat it. Best part ever!