Buckeye Cheesecake Cake

If you thought the combination of peanut butter and chocolate couldn’t get more decadent, then you clearly have not yet met this cake.

Today is kind of a big deal. Obviously it’s Saturday, aka #PBChocSat, and Ohio State is playing Michigan State at home, which means we will be trying out best not to freeze out butts off as the high is only 37 degrees today. At least it’s not raining like it was 2 years ago. But today also marks The Spiffy Cookie’s 7th blogiversary!

To celebrate this epic day I make an epic cake, an inception cake, with a layer of peanut  butter cheesecake between two layers of chocolate cake, covered in peanut butter frosting, a chocolate ganache, and topped with homemade buckeye candies. Even if the buckeyes don’t win today, this cake certainly did.

One year ago: Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

Two years ago: Five Year Blogiversary and Reader Survey

Three years ago: Greek Yogurt Thumbprint Cookies & 4th Blogiversary

Four years ago: The Bee’s Knees Peanut Butter Pie & Blogiversary

Five years ago: Funfetti Cheesecake White Chocolate Brownies & Blogiversary

Six years ago: Funfetti Truffle Chocolate Cupcakes

Seven years ago: And so it begins

BUCKEYE CHEESECAKE CAKE

Serves 8-12

Ingredients:

CAKE

2 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup hot milk

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

6 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup boiling water

CHEESECAKE

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

4 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup milk, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

FROSTING

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Pinch salt

1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

TOPPING

3 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

Buckeye candies, for decoration

Directions:

1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Light coat two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray or butter and lightly flour. Set aside.
2. Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Pour the hot milk over the mixture and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed, add cooled chocolate mixture, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix together until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
4. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and allow to cool completely on wire rack. If needed, slice off the tops of the cakes to make them level.
6. For the cheesecake: Reduce oven to 325 degrees. Liberally grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
7. In large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and flour until light and smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the milk and vanilla.
8. Pour filling into the prepared pan. Pour 1-inch hot water into a separate large baking pan and place it on the bottom 1/3 of the oven. Place cheesecake on the middle rack and bake 50 to 55 minutes or until center is almost set.
9. Turn oven off; remove baking pan with water. Let cheesecake cool in oven 30 minutes.
10. Remove cheesecake from oven, chill 1 hour, then remove side from springform pan.
11. For the frosting: While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla together until smooth. On low speed, mix in the confectioners’ sugar until just incorporated, followed by the cream. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until light and very fluffy, about 4 minutes.. Add more powdered sugar or heavy cream if necessary to reach desired consistency.
12. One the cakes are cool, place one onto a cake plate. Spread the layer of frosting on top followed by the cooled cheesecake, frost again and top with the second cake. Frost the entire cake with remaining frosting.
13. For the ganache: Place the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a metal bowl. Microwave heavy cream for 1 minute or until it starts to boil and pour over chocolate chips. Cover bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 minutes. Whisk until smooth, allow to sit for a few minutes until it starts to thicken, then pour over the top of the cake. Decorate with buckeyes candies.

Source: Adapted from my Buckeye Cheesecake and my Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake.