Danielle at Olive and Co.Beloved: Kyle’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
One of my favourite things about food is its ability to bring back memories. It keeps the people and the places I love so dearly close. Most of us have a special memory that is related to food. I have a lot of them. One of the most pronounced is this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake. To this day I cannot make anything that has peanut butter without thinking of my cousin Kyle (and my Uncle Bernie). For many years we used to get together with my Mom’s family for Thanksgiving. It was my favourite time of year. Every Thanksgiving he would always request that I bring my double chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting to dinner.
In 2011 we got a phone call that rocked our world. Kyle had been in a car accident. The pickup truck he had been in went off an embankment moments from home. The top of the truck was ripped off, and it had rolled several times. He was airlifted to St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. He was in a medically induced coma for weeks.
Due to the traumatic brain injury and the amount of brain sheering that had occurred, I remember the doctors telling us that he’d likely not wake up. If he did wake up he may be in a vegetative state or reduced capacity.
He had to have a decompressive craniectomy which is a brain surgery that removes a portion of the skull. When the brain swells following an injury, the pressure in the brain can build inside the skull, causing further damage. Extensive rehabilitation is needed to help people regain as much brain function as possible.
He overcame so much – speech therapy, physical therapy, and exercise therapy. He had to relearn almost everything but nothing could stop him. I am so thankful he fought as hard as he did. That we did not lose him that day, that we had more time with him. While it wasn’t as much as we had wanted. I will always be thankful that he was able to be at my wedding. The pure joy on his face dancing with his cousins, his sister, our family. I will never forget it.
Unfortunately, he did leave us too soon. Two years ago this week my cousin Kyle passed away in his sleep. In memory of him. Here is his most requested recipe of mine. Makes a perfect cake or cupcakes to share. I’ve included the original recipe and a from-scratch version. With full size cake and cupcakes Share with the ones you love dear and keep them close. We miss you so much, Kyle.
Beloved: Kyle’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
Original Cake Recipe - Great for Beginners
Cake from Scratch
Peanut Butter Frosting
Instructions
Original Cake Recipe
-
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round pans with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into your prepared pans.
Bake for 18-20 minutes (you may need more time depending on your oven), until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool on wire racks for 10-15 minutes, then gently invert onto racks until cooled completely.
When cakes are completely cooled, I like to wrap each cake layer individually with plastic wrap/beeswax wraps and stick it in the refrigerator or freezer until I’m ready to frost. The cake will be easier to work with if it’s cooled a bit. If I’m making the cake a day or two before I actually need to frost it, I put it in the freezer to ensure freshness. If I’m frosting the same-day, I’ll just put it in the refrigerator to chill until needed.
Chocolate Cake From Scratch
-
For Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 cupcake pans with 16 cupcake liners.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients on low speed for 1 minute until combined.
In a measuring cup, whisk together the wet ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the bowl and mix until just combined. Add the sour cream and mix on
medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue mixing for 10 to 15 seconds. The batter will look thin and runny.
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each three-quarters full. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pans before transferring the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
-
For a three layered 8-inch cake or a four layered 6-inch cake.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round pans with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients on low speed for 1 minute until combined.In a measuring cup, whisk together the wet ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the bowl and mix until just combined. Add the sour cream and mix on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue mixing for 10 to 15 seconds. The batter will look thin and runny.
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans (I like to use a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed - should be about 16 ounces of batter in each 8-inch pan or 12 ounces for each 6-inch).
Bake for 18-20 minutes (you may need more time depending on your oven), until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool on wire racks for 10-15 minutes, then gently invert onto racks until cooled completely.When cakes are completely cooled, I like to wrap each cake layer individually with plastic wrap/beeswax wraps and stick it in the refrigerator or freezer until I’m ready to frost. The cake will be easier to work with if it’s cooled a bit. If I’m making the cake a day or two before I actually need to frost it, I put it in the freezer to ensure freshness. If I’m frosting the same-day, I’ll just put it in the refrigerator to chill until needed.
Peanut Butter Frosting
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the butter on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip for 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the icing sugar. Whip for an additional 30 seconds. Add the peanut butter to the buttercream. Whisk on medium-high speed until well combined.Increase the speed to high and whip for 2 minutes, until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla bean paste and whip on high speed for 1 minute. 2. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before using.
Did you make this recipe? Share with us, we'd love to see your creation @Oliveandco.canada!
