If you have peanut allergies, this is not the cake for you. However, if you like what happens to the taste of peanuts when they are sweetened and baked, here is bliss on a dish.
CAKE
½ cup shortening
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners’ sugar
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky as desired
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk, as needed
Grease and sprinkle with sugar three cake pans. Preheat the oven to 350°. For the cake, in a large mixing bowl beat the shortening, peanut butter, and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. In a separate bowl combine the flour with the baking soda, and add to the mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and after the cakes have cooled for 5 to 10 minutes, remove them from the pans to a cooling rack.
For the peanut butter frosting, in a large mixing bowl beat together the butter, confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla extract, adding just enough milk to make a creamy, spreadable frosting. Frost the layers as you add them one on top of the other and then frost the sides and top of the cake.
YIELD: 1 (3-LAYER) CAKE
POPULAR SOUTHERN SAYING
Grinning like a mule eating briars. (Proud)