PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE

The beloved combo of chocolate and peanuts in this cake and frosting tastes especially luscious with peanut butter that contains only nuts and salt. (The stabilizers in regular spreads don’t take well to heat, and create tiny white specks and a gritty texture in the frosting.) The natural kind melds into moist cake layers, which have a fluffy texture reminiscent of boxed-mix cakes but with a refined flavor. Almond milk deepens the chocolatey richness throughout.

TIPS:

•  Both bittersweet and semisweet chocolate work here, though the latter is a more natural fit for peanut butter. One between 55 and 60% cacao (and no more than 65%) is ideal.

•  Different brands of natural peanut butter vary in texture, so your ganache may set quickly or slowly. If it doesn’t stiffen at room temperature, pop it into the fridge and stir occasionally until spreadable.

makes one 9-inch layer cake

dairy-free

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER GANACHE

1. To make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray again.

2. Whisk both flours, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the coffee and cocoa powder in a small bowl until the cocoa dissolves. Whisk both sugars, the oil, peanut butter, eggs, almond milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the sugar mixture, and whisk, gradually drawing in the dry ingredients, until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa mixture until fully incorporated. Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Drop each pan once on the counter to eliminate excess air bubbles.

3. Bake the cakes just until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes; do not overbake.

4. Cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then run a thin-bladed knife between the edges of the cakes and the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks. Discard the parchment paper and cool completely.

5. Meanwhile, make the ganache: Pulse the chocolate in a food processor until finely chopped. Pulse in the peanut butter just until mixed.

6. Heat the almond milk in a small saucepan just until bubbles begin forming around the edges of the pan. Turn on the processor and add the hot milk in a steady stream through the feed tube. Scrape the bowl and process until very smooth. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and cool until spreadable, gently stirring occasionally to keep the ganache smooth. If you stir too vigorously while it’s cooling, it can seize into clumps. If that happens, set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir the ganache until smooth.

7. The cake layers may have small domes but shouldn’t have big ones. If they do and you’re going for a professional-looking finish, flip them right side up and carefully trim the domes by running a long serrated knife in a sawing motion across the tops to create flat, even layers.

8. Place one of the cake layers, bottom side up, on a cake plate. Spread one quarter of the ganache on top. Top with another cake layer, bottom side up, and spread another quarter of the ganache on top. Top with the last layer, bottom side up. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and sides of the cake to seal in the crumbs. Then spread the remaining frosting all over the cake; I run a large offset spatula across the top and around the sides for very clean, modern lines.

9. The cake can be served immediately, but it will taste better if the frosting and layers can meld together for a few hours at room temperature.

MAKE AHEAD

The cake layers will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. The frosted cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.