In the Oven: Oopsy Daisy Cake

It seems like it’s been a while since we’ve made a proper Baked layer cake. This one calls for fancy milk chocolate in the cake, a peanut butter filling and a creamy vanilla frosting with a hint of peanut butter. Posting date for the Oopsy Daisy Cake is July 21!

Oopsy Daisy Cake

Yield: One 8-inch, 2-layer cake

For the Milk Chocolate Layers
2 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona)
2/3 cup hot coffee
1/3 cup whole milk
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 ounces (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Peanut Butter Filling
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into ½-inch cubes
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (see page 26)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Vanilla Peanut Butter Frosting
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cool but not cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Peanut Butter Filling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Assembly
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts, chopped
2 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60-72%), shaved

Make the cake
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour and knock out the excess flour.

Place the chocolate and cocoa powder in medium-size heatproof bowl. Pour the hot coffee directly over the chocolate and cocoa and whisk until combined. Add the milk and whisk until smooth.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.

Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.

Make the Peanut Butter Filling
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth. Add the peanut butter and beat on medium low speed until just combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar all at once and the vanilla and beat until smooth. Set aside.

Make the Vanilla Peanut Butter Frosting
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool, at least 7 minutes. (You can speed up the process by pressing bags of frozen berries or frozen corn against the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.) Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp of reserved peanut butter filling and the vanilla and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.

Assemble the cake
Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface and evenly spread with the Peanut Butter Filling, then spread about 1/4 cup of the Vanilla Peanut Butter Frosting on top of the filling. Add the next layer, trim it, and frost the top and sides with the remaining Vanilla Peanut Butter Frosting. Sprinkle chopped peanuts and shaved chocolate around the perimeter of the cake.

The cake can be stored at room temperature, covered with a cake dome or in a cake saver, for up to 3 days.

Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.