Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake is a rich, bakery-style dessert that combines deep cocoa flavor with a smooth peanut butter swirl and a glossy chocolate glaze. The Bundt format creates dramatic presentation while ensuring even heat distribution for a tender crumb and defined structure.
This cake is ideal for celebrations, potlucks, or whenever you want a visually impressive dessert without complicated decoration.
Flavor Architecture
- Chocolate depth: Cocoa powder + optional chocolate chips
- Nutty richness: Creamy peanut butter swirl
- Moist crumb: Balanced fat-to-flour ratio
- Bittersweet finish: Chocolate glaze
- Sweet-salty contrast: Peanut butter + pinch of salt
The pairing is similar in spirit to the iconic candy Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups — but in cake form.
Ingredients (Serves 12–14)
Chocolate Cake Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee (enhances chocolate flavor)
Peanut Butter Swirl
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Chocolate Glaze
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Equipment Note
Use a standard 10–12 cup Bundt pan. Proper greasing is critical to avoid sticking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Pan
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Thoroughly grease and flour your Bundt pan, ensuring all ridges are coated.
2. Make the Cake Batter
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
Combine wet and dry ingredients.
Slowly stir in hot coffee until smooth. Batter will be thin — this is correct.
3. Prepare Peanut Butter Swirl
Whisk peanut butter, powdered sugar, and milk until smooth and slightly loosened.
4. Assemble
Pour half the chocolate batter into prepared pan.
Spoon peanut butter mixture over batter in dollops.
Add remaining chocolate batter.
Use a knife to gently swirl (do not overmix).
5. Bake
Bake 45–55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs.
Cool in pan 10–15 minutes before inverting onto rack.
Cool completely before glazing.
6. Make the Glaze
Heat heavy cream until just steaming.
Pour over chocolate chips.
Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth.
Pour over cooled cake.
Texture & Structure
- Moist, tender crumb
- Defined peanut butter ribbon
- Smooth, glossy glaze
- Slightly dense but soft interior
The hot coffee hydrates cocoa particles, intensifying chocolate flavor without adding noticeable coffee taste.
Professional Baking Tips
Don’t Over-Swirl
Too much swirling blends layers completely and eliminates contrast.
Measure Cocoa Correctly
Spoon and level; packing cocoa can dry out cake.
Release Cleanly
Run a thin spatula along edges before inverting.
Rest Before Slicing
Glaze sets best after 20–30 minutes.
Variations
Chocolate Chip Boost: Add ½ cup chocolate chips to batter.
Salted Peanut Butter Version: Sprinkle flaky salt over glaze.
Stuffed Center: Layer mini peanut butter cups inside batter.
Healthier Swap: Replace part of oil with unsweetened applesauce.
If you prefer natural sweeteners (like maple syrup) instead of refined sugar, I can provide a modified version tailored to that style.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with vanilla ice cream
- Pair with cold milk or coffee
- Dust lightly with powdered sugar before glaze for extra finish
- Garnish with chopped peanuts for texture contrast
Storage
- Room temperature (covered) up to 3 days
- Refrigerate up to 5 days
- Freeze slices up to 2 months
Nutritional Snapshot (Approximate per slice)
- Calories: 420–480
- Carbohydrates: 55–60g
- Fat: 22–28g
- Protein: 6–8g
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping proper pan greasing
- Overbaking (causes dryness)
- Using natural peanut butter without stabilizing (may separate)
- Pouring glaze on warm cake (it will slide off)
Final Assessment
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake is structurally reliable, visually impressive, and flavor-forward. The key variables are moisture balance, proper swirl technique, and careful baking time. When executed correctly, it delivers bold chocolate flavor with a creamy peanut butter contrast in every slice.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 (15.25 oz) box chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup (250g) creamy peanut butter (not natural/oily)
- ½ cup (1 stick / 115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- ½ cup (85g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (65g) creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- Optional: pinch of salt, chopped peanuts for garnish
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease and flour a 10–12 cup bundt pan.
- Make batter: In a large bowl, beat cake mix, peanut butter, butter, eggs, water, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth (~3–4 min).
- Bake: Pour into prepared pan. Bake 35–45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool: Let cool in pan 15 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack; cool completely.
- Make glaze: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and cream. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between, until smooth. Cool slightly.
- Glaze: Drizzle over cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts if desired.
💡 Pro Tips:
– Use regular peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy)—natural PB can cause separation.
– For extra marbling, swirl ¼ cup melted chocolate into the batter before baking.
– Store covered at room temp up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
Prep Time & Nutrition (per slice, serves 12):
Servings: 12 | Calories: 320 | Net Carbs: 32g | Fats: 18g | Protein: 6g