The Ultimate Vegan Peanut Butter Cake: Easy Recipe & Irresistible Frosting
Indulge in the rich, creamy goodness of this extraordinary vegan peanut butter cake! It’s a true celebration for any peanut butter enthusiast, offering an incredibly moist and fluffy texture paired with a decadent, smooth peanut butter frosting. Perfect for a special dessert or a delightful afternoon pick-me-up with your favorite brew, this cake is utterly irresistible and surprisingly easy to make.
For those who believe there’s no such thing as too much peanut butter, prepare to meet your new obsession. This isn’t just a peanut butter cake; it’s a peanut butter experience. The moment you take a bite, you’ll discover that the cake itself is infused with a deep, comforting peanut butter flavor, perfectly complemented by a luscious, velvety peanut butter frosting. If your ideal dessert involves layers of nutty goodness, then this vegan masterpiece was truly made for you.
Beyond its incredible taste, this cake stands out for its simplicity and speed. You won’t need any exotic ingredients; most items are likely already stocked in your pantry. With just about 10 minutes of active prep time, you can have this delightful creation in the oven, filling your home with the most heavenly aroma. It’s the kind of baking project that rewards you with minimal effort and maximum satisfaction.
The wonderfully moist texture of this peanut butter cake makes it suitable for any time of day. I often enjoy a slice in the morning, paired with my whipped coffee, for a truly indulgent start to the day. In the evening, it transforms into a decadent dessert, especially when served warm with a generous scoop of creamy vanilla vegan ice cream melting gloriously on top. It’s versatile, comforting, and utterly delightful.
Essential Notes on Ingredients
For precise measurements and the complete baking process, remember to consult the detailed recipe card conveniently located at the bottom of this page. Here, we’ll dive a little deeper into the role each ingredient plays in creating this perfect vegan peanut butter cake.
For the Cake Batter:
- Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk: I personally prefer unsweetened almond milk for its neutral flavor, which allows the peanut butter to truly shine. However, feel free to use your favorite non-dairy milk, such as oat, soy, or cashew milk. Just ensure it’s unsweetened to control the overall sweetness of the cake.
- Granulated Sugar: This provides the primary sweetness and contributes to the cake’s moist texture. Standard white granulated sugar works perfectly here.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla is crucial. It doesn’t just add its own wonderful aroma; it also enhances and rounds out the deep, nutty flavors of the peanut butter, bringing a subtle warmth to every bite.
- Smooth Natural Peanut Butter: For the best results and a consistently smooth cake texture, opt for smooth, natural peanut butter. If you have a peanut allergy, other nut butters like almond or cashew butter can be substituted, though the classic peanut flavor is undeniably superior for this recipe. If your natural peanut butter is very oily, give it a good stir before measuring.
- Vegan Butter, Melted: Vegan butter adds richness and moisture to the cake, contributing to its tender crumb. It’s important to melt it first, but allow it to cool slightly before incorporating it into the batter. This prevents it from accidentally “cooking” other ingredients and ensures it blends smoothly.
- All-Purpose Flour: This forms the foundational structure of our cake. Proper measurement is key; spoon and level your flour for the most accurate results, as too much flour can lead to a dry cake.
- Kosher Salt: A small amount of salt is vital. It doesn’t make the cake salty, but rather balances the sweetness and significantly amplifies the delicious peanut butter flavor, making it pop.
- Baking Powder: This leavening agent works to create lift and airiness in the cake, contributing to its light and fluffy texture.
- Baking Soda: Working in conjunction with the baking powder and the acidic components in the batter (like some non-dairy milks), baking soda further helps the cake rise and achieve a tender crumb.
For the Dreamy Peanut Butter Frosting:
- Unsalted Vegan Butter, Softened: For the frosting, softened vegan butter is essential. This allows it to whip up beautifully with the other ingredients, creating a smooth, creamy, and spreadable texture without lumps.
- Smooth Peanut Butter: Just like with the cake, smooth peanut butter is paramount for the frosting. It ensures a silky, delightful consistency that will glide over your cake. Crunchy peanut butter would result in a very different, textured frosting.
- Vanilla Extract: Another dash of vanilla in the frosting beautifully complements the peanut butter, adding depth and a lovely aroma to the topping.
- Confectioners’ Sugar (Powdered Sugar): This is the secret to a perfectly smooth and non-gritty frosting. Its fine texture dissolves effortlessly into the butter and peanut butter mixture, creating that professional, velvety finish.
- Kosher Salt: A tiny pinch of salt in the frosting cuts through the sweetness and further enhances the rich, nutty notes of the peanut butter, making the frosting truly irresistible.
- Chopped Peanuts for Topping (Optional, but Recommended!): While entirely optional, a sprinkle of chopped peanuts on top adds a fantastic textural contrast and an extra layer of roasted peanut flavor. It’s a wonderful way to visually signal the star ingredient and add a delightful crunch.
How to Craft Your Perfect Vegan Peanut Butter Cake
You’ll be delighted to discover just how straightforward it is to bring this incredibly flavorful cake to life. With only a few simple steps, you’ll be on your way to enjoying a homemade vegan treat. Let’s walk through the process:
Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Environment. Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Next, take an 8×13 inch (20×33 cm) cake pan and thoroughly grease it. To ensure a completely non-stick release and easy handling, line the greased pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides to use as “handles” later.
Step 2: Combine the Wet Ingredients and Sugar. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the unsweetened non-dairy milk, cooled melted vegan butter, smooth natural peanut butter, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla extract. Continue whisking until the mixture is mostly smooth and well-incorporated. You want to ensure the peanut butter is thoroughly blended with the liquids and sugar, with no large clumps remaining.
Step 3: Incorporate the Dry Ingredients. To the wet mixture, add the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Gently stir these dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix just until everything is combined and no streaks of dry flour are visible. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a dense or tough cake.
Step 4: Transfer and Even Out the Batter. Pour the prepared peanut butter cake batter into your parchment-lined cake pan. Use a spatula to gently spread the batter into an even layer, ensuring it fills the pan uniformly for consistent baking.
Step 5: Bake to Golden Perfection. Carefully place the cake pan into your preheated oven. Bake for approximately 30 to 32 minutes. The cake is perfectly done when a toothpick inserted into the very center comes out clean, with no wet batter attached. Your kitchen will smell absolutely divine during this stage!
Step 6: Cool Properly. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven. Let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. This initial cooling allows the cake to firm up slightly. After 10 minutes, use the parchment paper overhang to carefully lift the cake out of the pan and transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely on the rack for at least an additional 15 minutes, or until it reaches room temperature. Cooling is crucial before frosting.
Step 7: Prepare the Creamy Frosting. While the cake cools, prepare your irresistible peanut butter frosting. In a separate mixing bowl, combine all the frosting ingredients: softened unsalted vegan butter, smooth peanut butter, vanilla extract, confectioners’ sugar, and kosher salt. Using an electric mixer or a sturdy whisk, beat these ingredients together until the frosting is wonderfully smooth, creamy, and free of lumps. It should be light and fluffy, yet spreadable.
Step 8: Assemble and Serve! Once your cake has completely cooled to room temperature, it’s time for the grand finale. Generously spread the creamy peanut butter frosting over the top of the cake, creating a beautiful, even layer. If desired, sprinkle a handful of chopped peanuts over the frosting for added crunch and visual appeal. Slice, serve, and prepare to impress!
Expert Tips for a Flawless Vegan Peanut Butter Cake Every Time
Achieving a perfect cake requires attention to detail. Follow these expert tips to ensure your vegan peanut butter cake is consistently moist, flavorful, and beautifully textured:
- Avoid Overmixing the Cake Batter: This is a golden rule in baking! Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until they are barely combined and no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour too much, which can lead to a tough, dense, and dry cake, rather than the light and tender crumb we’re aiming for.
- Allow Melted Vegan Butter to Cool: The recipe calls for melted vegan butter, but it’s crucial to let it cool down to at least lukewarm, or even room temperature, before adding it to your other wet ingredients. Adding hot butter can inadvertently “cook” the sugar or curdle the non-dairy milk, which can negatively impact the final texture of your cake and make it difficult for ingredients to emulsify properly.
- Monitor for Browning in the Oven: Ovens can vary, and some bake hotter or more unevenly than others. If you notice the top of your cake browning too quickly during baking, simply cover the cake pan loosely with aluminum foil. This acts as a shield, preventing the top from burning while allowing the inside to continue baking through.
- Do Not Overbake the Cake: This is perhaps the most common mistake home bakers make. Trust your toothpick test! When a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, the cake is ready to be removed from the oven. Even if it looks slightly moist in the very center, remember that residual heat will continue to cook the cake for a few minutes after it’s out of the oven. Overbaking leads to dry cake.
- Embrace Patience While Cooling: It can be incredibly tempting to dive into this fragrant cake straight from the oven, but proper cooling is essential. Letting the cake cool in the pan and then on a wire rack allows it to finish setting, firm up its structure, and prevents it from crumbling when sliced. Crucially, it also ensures that your beautiful frosting won’t melt into a sticky mess when applied.
- Properly Grease and Line Your Pan: To guarantee a smooth release, always grease your cake pan thoroughly and then line it with parchment paper. Leaving a slight overhang of parchment paper creates convenient “handles” that make lifting the cooled cake out of the pan much easier, preventing any sticky situations or damage to your cake.
How to Store Your Vegan Peanut Butter Cake
Keeping your delicious vegan peanut butter cake fresh is simple! I recommend storing it in an airtight container to maintain its moisture and flavor. You can keep it either in the refrigerator or at room temperature. When stored in the fridge, your cake will remain wonderfully fresh for up to a week. If you prefer to keep it on the counter, it will stay delicious for 2-3 days at room temperature. Either way, you’ll love enjoying these delightful leftovers!
Can This Vegan Peanut Butter Cake Be Frozen?
Absolutely! Freezing is an excellent option if you want to enjoy this cake later or simply keep portions on hand for an unexpected craving. This vegan peanut butter cake freezes beautifully and will last for 1-2 months in an airtight freezer-safe container. For the best results and to prevent any freezer burn, I highly recommend wrapping individual slices or the entire cake tightly in plastic wrap before placing it in the container. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight.
Thank you for joining me on this delicious baking adventure! I hope you thoroughly enjoy creating and devouring this incredible vegan peanut butter cake. If you whip up this recipe, I’d absolutely love to see your creations! Please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram. Your feedback means the world, so please also consider leaving a comment below and giving the recipe a star rating. Happy baking!
Peanut Butter Cake
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Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, (I use almond milk)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
- 3/4 cup vegan butter, melted
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Peanut butter frosting
- 1 cup unsalted vegan butter, softened
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- peanuts for topping, , optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 8×13-inch baking dish and line with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter until mostly smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread into an even layer with a spatula.
- Bake for 30 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. If you notice browning too quickly, cover the pan with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and cool on the wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
- To make the frosting, beat together all of the ingredients with an electric mixer or whisk until smooth. When the cake is cool, top with the frosting.
Notes
- Mix the batter enough to incorporate all the ingredients, but don’t overmix it.
- Let the vegan butter cool completely before adding it to the batter.
- Don’t over bake the cake. Take it out when a toothpick is clean when inserted in the middle, even if it looks a little bit wet.
- Give it time to cool. This will allow it to finish baking and set.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.