This peanut butter sheet cake with peanut butter frosting is the perfect dessert for the peanut butter lover in your life. It’s an easy recipe that is sure to turn out perfectly every time.
Why I Love This Recipe
I have been making this peanut butter sheet cake since my oldest was a baby. Its a favorite with family members and always requested for events.
This cake is sweet, buttery, tender, and loaded with peanut butter flavor. There is peanut butter in the cake and the frosting, making it the ultimate peanut butter cake.
It is also incredibly easy to make. Most of the ingredients are melted on the stove before being mixed together.
Even the peanut butter frosting is combined and heated on the stove top before being poured onto the freshly baked peanut butter sheet cake. This means no hand mixers, no layering, and no special frosting equipment.
Tools I Recommend
For this recipe I find the following tools quite handy (Amazon affiliate links):
- 13″ x 18″ jelly roll pan
- A rubber whisk
- A sauce pan
Tips for Making Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
- Measure the flour – To avoid dense cake, make sure your flour is measured out correctly. To do this, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off, ensuring it doesn’t become packed, or weigh the flour for exact measurements.
- Use fresh ingredients – The baking soda in this recipe is necessary to leaven the cake. Make sure your baking soda is fresh for the best results.
- Don’t over heat the batter – Over heating the peanut butter, water, and butter can can cause burning, and change the flavor of the cake. Avoid over heating for the best flavor.
- Use the right pan size – This recipe calls for a 13″ x 18″ jelly roll pan. Using a smaller jelly roll pan will cause the batter to overflow during bake. If using regular cake pans the bake time will need to be adjusted.
- Don’t overbake – Overbaking can cause your cake to come out dry and crumbly. Keep a close eye on the cake towards the end of the suggested bake time.
What Type of Peanut Butter Should I Use?
In recommend using creamy peanut butter when making this cake, but crunchy peanut butter can also be used for a fun twist. If using natural peanut better the texture and rise of the cake may be altered a bit.
Recipe Variations
There are a few delicious ways to adapt this peanut butter sheet cake recipe you might enjoy:
- Other nut butters: Try almond butter or other nut butters for a flavor twist.
- Jelly: Swirl some jam/jelly over the batter before cooking the cake.
- Chocolate chips: Make decadent peanut butter sheet cake by adding about 1 cup of your favorite semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate chips to the batter.
- Spices or cocoa powder: Try adding some cinnamon, pumpkin spice, or cocoa powder to the frosting.
- Instant coffee/espresso: Add 1- 1 ½ tbsp for a caffeine pick-me-up.
- Peanut butter powder: Adding 1-2 tbsp of PB powder (plus an extra splash of milk if needed) enhances the peanut flavor and adds more protein.
How to Store Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
This peanut butter sheet cake is best eaten while its warm in my personal opinion, but its still delicious for days if stored properly.
Keep the cake in an in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. If refrigerating leftovers, bring them to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
If you want to make this peanut butter sheet cake ahead of time you can freeze it. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and store the cake unfrosted after it has cooled completely for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you are ready, pull it out of the freezer and allow it to thaw fully before frosting and serving.
More Recipes to Try
Peanut Butter Sheet Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
20
servings25
minutes55
minutesThis peanut butter sheet cake with peanut butter frosting is the perfect dessert for the peanut butter lover in your life. It’s an easy recipe that is sure to turn out perfectly every time.
Ingredients
- The Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup water
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
- The Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
Directions
- Make the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and Lightly grease a 13″ x 18″ jelly roll pan.
- In a large mixing bowl add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until fully combined, then set aside.
- In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine the creamy peanut butter, water, and unsalted butter. Heat until the ingredients are just melted and fully combined. Remove from heat.
- Once removed from the heat add in the milk and vanilla extract. Then whisk in each egg one at a time.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, stirring until everything is combined and you have a smooth lump free batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and spread it evenly. Bake on the lower center rack of your preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Make the Frosting
- Once the cake is removed from the oven you can make the frosting, there is no need to allow the cake to fully cool.
- In a sauce pan over medium heat combine the unsalted butter, creamy peanut butter, and milk. Heat until the ingredients are just melted and full combined.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and powdered sugar a little at a time until a creamy lump free frosting forms.
- Pour the frosting over the cake while its still warm, and spread it evenly.
- Allow the cake to cool and the frosting to set for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- Use the right pan size – This recipe calls for a 13″ x 18″ jelly roll pan. Using a smaller jelly roll pan will cause the batter to overflow during bake. If using regular cake pans the bake time will need to be adjusted.
- How to store: Keep the cake in an in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. If refrigerating leftovers, bring them to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
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Just letting you know in direction #3 of the cake it says “In a sauce pan over medium heat, ass the creamy peanut butter, water, and unsalted butter.” 🤣
Oh my goodness! I’m laughing and blushing.