Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

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A few months ago before this lovely quarantine, some friends had a cookout at their house. When I asked him if they had a preference when it came to flavor or type of dessert, I received the response, “Anything with chocolate. peanut butter or cheesecake.” Easy enough. So, this cake showed up at their house.

When I was contemplating how to top this sinful cake, chocolate ganache just kept floating through my head. So, when I went to the store to get the ingredients, I loaded to cart up with everything we needed and headed to the cashier. While standing in line, I glance over at the chocolate candy, and there they were…screaming at me. The Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. They were quickly moved from the candy box to the pile of other ingredients.

The cake is flavored with a full cup of peanut butter, and the mini chocolate chips are thrown in there for a little something extra to add to the peanut buttery goodness. When I showed up at their house, one of the guys asked right away if he could go ahead and cut a slice. Of course! As he was stuffing his face with the cake, he came to the back door and tapped on the glass while we were outside on the patio….and gave me a thumb’s up, with a mouthful of food. I couldn’t help but to laugh. Since my mom was still cooking dinner for us at home, we had to leave early…the hostess transferred the entire cake so that I could take my mom’s cake carrier home, and I had to ask her for a slice to take back to my parents. She gave me a hard time, but I was still able to smuggle a piece out of there for them to enjoy as well. I’ll have to make them a cheesecake for our next visit.

For the Cake

1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix

1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup water

4 eggs

1 bag mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease bundt pan. Combine first six ingredients in mixing bowl or standing mixer and beat at medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Spoon mixture into bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean (minus the chocolate chips). Let cool in pan on cooling rack for 10-15 minutes, turn out on cooling rack to cool completely before topping with chocolate ganache and peanut butter cups. Store in airtight cake carrier.

For the Topping

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 Reese’s peanut butter cups, chopped

Heat heavy cream in microwave safe dish for 60-90 seconds, just until boiling. Pour over chocolate chips in a small mixing bowl, let sit for one minute before whisking vigorously until chocolate is melted and smooth. Spoon chocolate ganache over top of cooled cake, then sprinkle chopped peanut butter cups on top of ganache.