Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cake

For the chocolate sponge

Preheat oven to 160C. Prepare four 6” cake tins by lining them with baking paper. 

Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a large mixing bowl, or a bowl fitted to a stand mixer. Ensure all ingredients are mixed together.

Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to the flour mixture and mix together on medium speed using a paddle attachment until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add hot coffee to the cake batter until well combined.

Distribute cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the centre of the chocolate cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely. Once cooled, remove the dome top of each cake layer. 

For the peanut butter frosting:

Add butter and peanut butter to a large bowl. Use a stand mixer with paddle attachment, or an electric mixer to beat until fully combined and slightly lighter and fluffier in texture.

Add half of the powdered sugar and continue to mix until fully incorporated, repeat with the remainder of the powdered sugar. 

For the chocolate ganache:

Microwave the chocolate chips and cream for 45 seconds in a microwave safe bowl. Mix with a spatula until fully combined and you have a silky ganache, it should flow slightly from your spatula in order to drip on the cake. 

Assembly:

Lay your first chocolate sponge onto a cake board. Spread peanut butter frosting over the sponge. Lay the next chocolate sponge over this.

Repeat with remaining cake layers. Cover the cake with a frosting and smooth out with a cake scraper.

Place in fridge and allow frosting to turn cold and harden.

Prepare your ganache. Gradually pour over the cake and spread the ganache out evenly until some of it drips off the side of your cake.

Return cake to fridge to allow ganache to set. Then pipe peanut butter frosting using a 1M piping tip, with Reese's cups in between each dollop.