Chocolate Peanutbutter Cake

Peanut butter and I are not friends. We never have been. Until recently the thought of it repulsed me... Except in Reese's candy. Then I made a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. Peanut butter and I now have an understanding: we are cool if it is in candy, on cake, or *occaisonally* on celery.

The thought came up when a co-worker's last day was approaching and I was tasked with baking a cake for the occasion. I put flavor profiles up for a vote and this is what won.

I cheated. I was ashamed at first, but that cake was thebomb.com! There is a time and place for using boxed mixes and pre-made frosting. The key is to flavor them and jazz them up so the world will never know. Boxed cake mix can be tricky because of the oil you have to add. Personally, I feel like you can taste it and if I am trying to fool people into thinking I made it from scratch a weird oily taste will not do.

The trick? Seltzer or soda. 1 can or 1 and 1/2 cups per box. No eggs. No oil. Just some fizz. If using soda, diet or regular work but diet can leave a fake sugar aftertaste. Keep in mind that the soda color will come through as well (ie: orange soda + vanilla cake mix = orange colored vanilla cake). I usually use plain seltzer but have found that raspberry-lime seltzer does leave some flavor in a vanilla cake mix. If using soda, try to pick complimentary flavors: chocolate and cherry cola, lemon or vanilla cake with lemon-lime soda, spice cake with root beer. Check the tutorial out by clicking read more.

Happy bakin/eating!
-MPA