Yet another chocolate and peanut butter lover’s dream here in this Reese’s Cup Cake!
It’s been well documented that this blog author loves the combo of peanut butter and chocolate. My most recent posting with this classic flavor combo can be found here.
I asked Copilot when the first documented combo of chocolate and peanut butter happened. Here’s what it told me:
The first documented pairing of chocolate and peanut butter in a dessert dates back to the early 20th century, with H.B. Reese’s creation of the iconic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in 1928.
This sweet combination became popular thanks to Harry Burnett Reese, a former dairy farmer and employee of the Hershey Chocolate Company. In 1928, Reese began selling peanut butter cups as part of a line of candies he made in his basement. These treats combined a creamy peanut butter filling with a chocolate coating, and they quickly gained popularity.
While peanut butter itself was patented by John Harvey Kellogg in 1895 as a health food for patients, and chocolate had long been used in confections, Reese’s innovation marked the first widely documented and commercially successful dessert that brought the two together. The pairing was so successful that it became a cornerstone of American candy culture, inspiring countless variations from cookies to cakes to ice cream.
Interestingly, regional treats like Buckeye Balls—peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate—also emerged later, with some sources citing their origin in Ohio around 1964. These homemade desserts further cemented the chocolate-peanut butter duo as a beloved classic.
Well, there you go. This classic combo is almost 100 years old! Read more about Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups here.
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Reese’s Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
The Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
The Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups peanut butter
10 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Place oven rack in center position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9″ round cake pans. Place a round of parchment paper or wax paper in the bottom of each pan.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended into the butter. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition and scraping the down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients). Mix each addition only until it is blended into the batter. Scrape down bowl and add the melted chocolate, folding it in with a spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the cakes feel springy and start to pull away from the sides of the pans. Transfer to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.
In a mixer bowl, combine all but heavy cream and mix with paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy. Scrape down bowl with spatula as you work.
Slowly add cream and beat on high speed until mixture is light and smooth, adding a bit more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin.
Frost cake and enjoy!
Notes
I used a package of mini Reese’s cups when decorating the cake. I found it helpful to refrigerate them, as my hands are always warm and tend to melt the chocolate. After unwrapping, turn the cups upside down and carefully slice in half with a paring knife. There were enough in the package to decorate the top and base, with a few leftover to dice up and sprinkle on top.
