Double-Dare Peanut Butter Cake

Serves 8

Peanut butter lovers will appreciate the double indulgence of this peanut butter cake topped with peanut butter frosting. To make these gluten-free, use gluten-free flour; for soy-free, use soy-free vegan butter.

Gluten-Free Option

Soy-Free Option

Cake:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup peanut butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup vegan butter, at room temperature

1 cup natural sugar

1/2 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Frosting:

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup almond milk

3 tablespoons vegan butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate curls (optional)

Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the peanut butter, butter, and sugar until blended. Beat in the almond milk and vanilla until blended. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until evenly blended.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until done, about 30 minutes, or when a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before icing.

Frosting: Combine the sugar, peanut butter, milk, butter, and vanilla in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour before using to allow it to firm up, then frost the cake and sprinkle the top with the chocolate curls, if using.

Kid’s Nut Butter Party

Here’s a way to keep your kids and their friends occupied and provide a healthy snack at the same time: Have a nut butter sandwich-making contest. Put all the ingredients on a table: bread and tortillas, a few kinds of nut butter, a few jellies and jams, sliced fruit, raisins, potato chips, and anything else you want to include. Award prizes for the most creative, most nutritious, most unusual, etc. – and let the kids do the voting. Then let them eat what they made.

Important: Check with parents to make sure none of the children invited to the gathering is allergic to nuts.