you're making mealtime meaningful.
It’s everyone’s favorite sandwich – in cake form! And while that maaayyyybe wouldn’t be the greatest idea with ham and cheese, it’s an excellent plan with peanut butter and jelly. This is pretty much the easiest novelty cake you can make. There’s no baking involved thanks to a couple of handy shortcuts and the finished cake is pretty as a picture. And totally tasty, too!
This cake starts with a prepared frozen pound cake, which means you won’t be spending all that much time in the kitchen. After cutting it into two rectangles, you just need to spread a few layers on top of the cake, chilling them in between, to form this delicious layered wonder. PB & J is such a classic combination (but this cake even has some chocolate for good measure) and it translates so well to dessert!
PB & J Cake
Yield(s): Serves 6-8
1 hour 15 minutes
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1 (12 oz) frozen pound cake
- 3 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4-6 tablespoons milk
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups strawberry jam
- For the coating:
- 10 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
Preparation
- To assemble the cake, trim a 1/2 inch off the short ends of the pound cake, then trim the domed top off to make it flat. Stand the cake on its side and slice in half horizontally to make two equal size rectangles.
- In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the 3 oz of chocolate in 30-second intervals until melted, stirring in between.
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter, 4 tablespoons milk, and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until combined. Add the melted chocolate and mix well. Add more milk, if needed, to make frosting spreadable.
- Lay the cake rectangles on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread some of the frosting on one short end of each cake and press them together to form one long rectangle. Spread the remaining frosting on the cake in a 1-inch thick layer, making the edges slightly higher than the center to create a trench in the middle. Smooth tops and sides. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the freezer. Spread jam in the frosting trench in a flat, even layer. Spread peanut butter over top. Freeze until jam and peanut butter are firm, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the chocolate coating by microwaving the 10 oz chocolate and butter in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring in between.
- Pour the chocolate over the cake and spread it evenly over the top and sides with an offset spatula. Freeze until chocolate cools slightly, 6-8 minutes.
- Starting at a short end of the cake, dip the edge of a spatula into the chocolate at an angle and gently pull up, repeating along the top of the cake to create a wave pattern. Chill 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!