M&M's Peanut Butter Cake

Peanut Butter M&M Cake topped with Creamy Peanut Frosting combines everything you love - soft, moist cake filled with crunchy candy bits and covered in velvety frosting. This treat works great for parties with its eye-catching colors and amazing nutty flavor that'll make everyone ask for seconds. The colorful M&Ms give it that fun look plus a nice crunch that kids and adults can't resist.

INGREDIENTS

• Creamy Peanut Butter: 1/2 cup, adds that nutty taste
• Unsalted Butter: 1/2 cup, softened at room temp
• Salt: 1/4 tsp, brings out the sweetness
• Large Eggs: 2, helps everything stick together
• Granulated Sugar: 1 cup, for sweetness
• Baking Soda: 1/2 tsp, makes it rise nicely
• Vanilla Extract: 1 tsp, for extra flavor
• All-Purpose Flour: 1 1/2 cups, main dry ingredient
• Buttermilk: 1/2 cup, keeps everything moist
• Baking Powder: 1 tsp, helps cake puff up
• M&M's: 1 cup, mixed into batter for fun and crunch
• Unsalted Butter (frosting): 1/2 cup, softened at room temp
• Creamy Peanut Butter (frosting): 1 cup, main frosting flavor
• Powdered Sugar: 2 cups, sweetens the frosting
• Heavy Cream: 1/4 cup, makes frosting smooth
• Vanilla Extract (frosting): 1 tsp, rounds out flavor
• Extra M&M's: for sprinkling on top

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 10:

Decorate the top by sprinkling more M&M's in any pattern you like.

Step 9:

Put frosting on one cake layer, add second layer on top, then cover everything with remaining frosting.

Step 8:

Make your frosting by mixing butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar bit by bit, then mix in cream and vanilla until it's light and fluffy.

Step 7:

Let cakes sit in pans for 10 minutes before taking them out to cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 6:

Bake for 25-30 minutes until you can stick a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.

Step 5:

Carefully stir in the M&M's and pour the mix evenly into your two cake pans.

Step 4:

Mix in dry ingredients and buttermilk, going back and forth starting and ending with dry stuff. Don't overmix.

Step 3:

Beat butter and peanut butter in a big bowl until creamy. Add sugar slowly and mix until fluffy, then add eggs one at a time, and finish with vanilla.

Step 2:

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.

Step 1:

Turn oven on to 350°F (175°C) and get two 9-inch round cake pans ready with grease and flour.

Serving and Storage Tips

• Let the cake warm up a bit before eating if it's been in the fridge - tastes way better.
• Keep your cake in a covered container at room temp for up to 3 days or pop it in the fridge for a week.

Helpful Notes

• Want to make it fancier? Try adding some melted chocolate drizzled over the top.
• Make sure all your stuff is room temperature before mixing for the best results.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

• Chef Mark says to chill your cake layers before you frost them so they don't fall apart.
• Chef Anna thinks using crunchy peanut butter in the frosting gives it an awesome texture.

How to Make the Best Peanut Butter Cake

For an amazing peanut butter cake, grab good quality peanut butter and colorful M&M's. Remember to add your dry stuff and buttermilk bit by bit so your cake stays light and fluffy instead of dense.

Variations of Peanut Butter Cake

You can throw in some chopped peanuts or walnuts if you want more crunch. If you're a chocolate lover, try chocolate M&M's instead or add a layer of chocolate ganache between your cake layers.

FAQs

Can I use different M&M's flavors?

Absolutely! Try peanut, pretzel or caramel M&M's for something different.

How can I make this cake gluten-free?

Just swap in your favorite gluten-free flour mix instead of regular flour.

Can I freeze the cake?

You bet! Wrap unfrosted layers in plastic wrap and they'll keep in the freezer for 3 months. Just thaw them before adding frosting.

Is this cake suitable for peanut allergies?

Definitely not. There's peanut butter in both the cake and frosting, plus M&M's might have peanut traces.

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Conclusion

This M&M's Peanut Butter Cake bursts with flavor and color. A fluffy batter made with peanut butter, sprinkled with bright M&M’s throughout, gives each bite a mix of smooth sweetness and crunch. It’s finished with a rich, creamy frosting that ties the whole dessert together. A surefire hit for birthdays, family hangouts, or anyone craving peanut butter bliss!