Two layers of moist, rich chocolate cake. Cream cheese in the peanut butter frosting cuts through some of the richness. Topped with a peanut butter fudge ganache.
Grease two 8- or 9-inch (metal) round cake pans (or use cooking spray). Sprinkle a little flour or cocoa powder in each pan, and tap the pan so that all of the grease has been coated. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add vegetable oil, yogurt, and egg, and use a whisk to combine.
Whisk in water, vinegar, and vanilla.
Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake on the same rack in the middle of your oven, for about 18 minutes at 350F. Check a few minutes early; a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Let cakes cool completely before assembling the cake.
Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter together until well combined.
Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping the bottom occasionally. Beat until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add peanut butter and mix until well combined.
Freeze the cooled cakes for 30 minutes before assembling the cake. This helps keep the very tender cake together better as you frost it.
Take a cake layer from the freezer. Turn it out onto your cake plate. Take strips of waxed paper (or foil if necessary) and nestle them between the cake and the plate so that they cover your cake plate; this keeps your plate cleaner while you frost it.
Place about ⅔ cup of frosting on the layer and spread to almost, but not quite, the edge. Turn out the second cake layer onto your hand or a cooling rack, then place (or invert, either one) onto the frosted layer.
Two options: place a very thin coat of frosting (a crumb coat) on the top and sides of the cake, then chill the cake for 15 minutes to make frosting the rest of it easier. This will catch and (kind of) seal the crumbs, meaning that a top layer of frosting will be cleaner.
However, you're putting ganache on this cake, so I don't find the crumbs such a big deal. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake, being sure to go all the way to the waxed paper protecting your plate. Chill the cake while you make the ganache.
Combine 4 ounces chocolate, 1 ½ tablespoons peanut butter, 1 tablespoon corn syrup, and ¼ cup half and half in a saucepan or on a double burner. Melt over low heat, stirring constantly. Adjust heat if necessary so the chocolate doesn't scorch.
Mix until chocolate melts and ganache is thick and smooth. Pour on chilled cake while ganache is warm.
This recipe makes a 2 layer cake, instead of a 3 layer cake as written in 2013. Entire recipe was reduced by half.
Frosting recipe makes just enough frosting to coat a 2-layer 9 inch cake. I'm not a frosting fan; if you are, you may want to increase the frosting quantities (and ganache quantities) by 50%. (Frosting: 7.5 ounces cream cheese, 6 tablespoons butter, 3 ¾ cup powdered sugar, 8 tablespoons peanut butter. Ganache: 1 cup chocolate, 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons peanut butter, 1 ½ tablespoons corn syrup, and 6 tablespoons half and half.)
This cake recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted it from Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes.
Calorie counts are an estimate only.
Recipe originally posted in 2013; revisions in August 2020.