Ask any member of my immediate family what they want for a special occasion cake and they’ll tell you: chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. It’s a New England favorite. After moving south, we tweaked the tradition into a peanut butter ice cream–filled chocolate cake with rich chocolate fudge frosting—and it’s become our new go-to.
Prepare and bake the cake as directed below. Once the layers are cooled, fill the center with slightly softened peanut butter ice cream—homemade or store-bought works well. Smooth the ice cream into the cavity, assemble the cake, and freeze before frosting for best results.
Place the top layer over the filled base, invert the assembled cake onto a serving plate, and frost with chocolate frosting. Freeze the finished cake for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving so the ice cream sets firmly.
If you slice too soon, the ice cream will still be soft and can melt quickly—patience pays off.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake
Cake
You’ll need:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Hershey’s)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder (Hershey’s recommended)
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup milk (adjust for desired consistency)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
You will also need a filled cake pan or fill-and-bake set for this style of cake. If you don’t have a specialty pan, see the notes below for an alternative assembly using three 9-inch round cakes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the pans generously; do not flour.
For the cake: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla, beating well after each addition. Stir in the boiling water—the batter will be very thin. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, filling to the indicated fill line if using a specialty filled pan.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing any inserts or inverting the pans, depending on the pan style you used.
If the pan wasn’t greased thoroughly, pieces can stick when you invert—take care when preparing the pans.
Fill the center cavity with peanut butter ice cream that has been softened slightly at room temperature (about 5 minutes). Smooth the ice cream level with the cake ring. Place the cake top or bottom over the filled ring and carefully invert the assembled cake onto a serving plate so the seam is on the bottom.
For the frosting: Combine the cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar in a bowl and mix well. Add the butter, vanilla, and milk, then beat until smooth and creamy. Chill the cake in the freezer for about 20 minutes before attempting to frost so the ice cream and cake are firmer and easier to work with.
Once frosted, return the cake to the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving. Remove from the freezer 10–15 minutes before slicing to allow slightly easier cutting without melting the ice cream.
Notes: If you don’t have a filled cake pan, you can make this with three 9-inch round cakes. Use a bowl or cutter to remove the center of one layer, leaving about a 1½-inch ring of cake. Place a full round on the bottom, add the ring, fill the cavity with softened ice cream, top with the third layer, and freeze for at least 2 hours before frosting. This method gives a similar finished cake without specialty pans.