The Vintage Peanut Butter Cake I Bake on Repeat

The batter is mixed together in a pot for fewer dishes.

By
Joey Firoben
Joey Firoben
Joey Firoben

Joey Firoben is a food stylist, culinary producer, and recipe developer with over 9 years of experience. Starting off as an amateur baker, Joey learned on the job while working alongside seasoned culinary professionals. Joey's worked in Hollywood making fancy cocktails and donuts for TV shows and commercials. His written work can be found on Simply Recipes.

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Published October 14, 2025
Joey Firoben
A slice of peanut butter cake with frosting on a plate

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Peanut butter is one of my favorite foods, and I eat it almost every day. I love it so much, in fact, that I’ve tested all the brands at the grocery store and usually make my own. As a baker, I’m always looking for opportunities to load up baked goods with this nutty spread.

But no matter how wild I get in my peanut butter explorations, one classic dessert can never be outplayed: peanut butter cake: two layers of a peanut butter-rich cake covered in a layer of not-too-sweet peanut butter frosting. 

Baking With Peanut Butter

Peanut butter works in some interesting ways in baking. It’s mostly fat and protein, but in baked goods it also brings a starchy quality. Usually, when fat is added to a baked good it adds moisture and density. Peanut butter does this, but its starch-like quality helps to produce a cake that is not too dense or oily. 

A slice of layered peanut butter cake on a stack of plates

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

My Easy Peanut Butter Cake

You won’t find any instructions for beating butter and sugar or whipping egg whites here. My recipe is as easy as they come: you whisk everything together in one bowl. Well, in this case, one pot.

To make things even simpler, I start this on the stove to avoid bringing ingredients up to room temperature. Forgot to put your butter on the counter two hours ago? No need here—it can go into the pot stone-cold. Once it’s melted, the residual heat from the butter and the pan will warm up your chilled eggs and sour cream.

Don’t worry about scrambling the eggs or curdling the sour cream. The relatively large amount of sugar, peanut butter, flour, and other ingredients will gently warm up as you whisk everything together. 

A sliced peanut butter cake with frosting on a plate

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Other Classic Layer Cakes

Peanut Butter Cake

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Cooling 45 mins
Total Time 105 mins
Servings 12 servings
Yield 1 (2-layer) cake

I have favorite brand options for snacking peanut butter, but I’m less particular in my selection for baking. Going with a no-stir variety avoids a few issues that “natural” peanut butter can present. Make your life easier—go with the brand your grandma always had around.

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Ingredients

For the cake

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1 1/3 cups (300g) packed light brown sugar

  • 3/4 cup (210g) no-stir peanut butter

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1/4 cup (65g) sour cream

  • 1/4 cup (56g) water

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 1/2 cups (195g) all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

For the frosting

  • 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 1/2 cups (170g) powdered sugar

  • 3/4 cup (210g) no-stir peanut butter

  • 1 tablespoon whole milk or water

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

    Grease two 8-inch nonstick cake pans with cooking spray on the bottom but not the sides–this helps the cakes grip the edges and rise properly. Set aside.

  2. Make the cake batter:

    In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the brown sugar, peanut butter, eggs, sour cream, water, vanilla, and salt until very smooth.

    Sprinkle on the flour and baking powder and whisk vigorously until a smooth batter forms, at least 30 seconds. Don’t be afraid of overmixing–you need to whisk vigorously to break up any clumps, and there’s enough fat in this batter to preserve a tender texture.

  3. Bake the cakes:

    Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until the center of the cakes springs back when lightly touched, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool in the pans on a cooling rack for at least 45 minutes.

  4. Make the frosting:

    In a medium bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, milk or water, vanilla, and salt. Use a hand mixer to slowly incorporate all of the ingredients, starting on low speed to avoid a powdered sugar cloud.

    Once the ingredients come together, increase the mixer speed to high and beat for about 1 minute until fluffy and lightened in color.

  5. Assemble the cake:

    Once the cakes are completely cool to the touch, run a butter knife around the edge of the pans to release the sides of the cakes. The cakes should pop right out when inverted, but if they’re being a little stubborn, use the butter knife, pressing against the side of the cake to gently coax it out of the tin.

    Flip one of the cake layers upside-down and place it on a serving plate—this will create a flat surface for easier frosting and stacking. Top with about 1/3 of the frosting, spreading it on top of the cake with the back of a spoon. Place the second cake layer on top, right-side up, and generously dollop on the remaining frosting, spreading it to cover the top and sides. Use the back of the spoon to make swoops and swirls all over the cake.

    Cover and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can invert a large bowl over the serving plate, use a cake keeper, or cut into slices and wrap individually.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    A frosted cake with one slice cut out served on a plate beside it with a fork

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
691 Calories
47g Fat
60g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 691
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 47g 60%
Saturated Fat 21g 106%
Cholesterol 136mg 45%
Sodium 432mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 60g 22%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 41g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 106mg 8%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 299mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.