Peanut Butter Cake with Malted Chocolate Frosting. A stunning pair and the most addictive & delicious combination. This tender crumb is flavored with peanut butter all throughout. It’s topped with a luscious malted frosting. And it’s definitely one of my favorites.
I love all things malt and in this buttercream pairs wonderfully with the peanut butter, given it’s nutty and toasty flavor.
I used Ovaltine for the buttercream. It’s such a fun ingredient to use! Whenever I see it on the selves, my mind instantly goes back to that 90’s commercial “more Ovaltine, please!” It’s a classic.
How to make malted chocolate buttercream
- Beat room temperature butter and salt until smooth and creamy. I use a stand-mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. You can also use a hand held mixture
- Add in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, Ovaltine or malted milk powder and beat until very thick and well combined.
- Lastly add in the vanilla and milk or cream, 1 tbsp at a time. Continue to mix on high until the frosting is light and fluffy.
The chocolate malt doesn’t overpower the frosting at all. It adds a delicious toasty note with hints of carmel that makes this a peanut butter & chocolate lovers DREAM. If you can’t find the Ovaltine brand, Carnation also makes a malted milk powder in original and chocolate.
What is malted milk powder?
- Malted milk powder is a shelf stable product that is made from barley, wheat flour and evaporated milk. And it also comes in chocolate flavor.
When baking with peanut butter, the creamy kind is best! There’s a time and place for the all-natural kind. It can get a bit pasty. This Peanut Butter Cake with Malted Chocolate Frosting is perfectly moist with all the best flavors.
This recipes makes 9 perfectly sized slices and is baked in a 8 inch brownie pan
More recipes to try…
Mini Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Brown Butter Banana Cornbread Loaf
Peanut Butter Cake with Malted Chocolate Frosting
Equipment
- 8 inch square pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatula
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Cake
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup peanut butter creamy
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- 1 ¼ cup flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
Malted Chocolate Buttercream
- ½ cup butter softened
- pinch of salt
- 1¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp Ovaltine or malted milk powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2-4 tbsp milk or cream
Instructions
For the peanut butter cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda & salt to a bowl. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add in the butter and sugar. Mix on medium for 3-5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla and eggs, beating well after each addition.
- Next, add in the peanut butter and mix until well combined. The batter will look curdled. Add in the buttermilk and flour mixture alternately. Scrape the sides of the bowl down to ensure no dry pockets of flour remain. Pour the batter into a prepared 8 inch square pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Or until the center is set. Allow to cool completely and frost with your malted chocolate frosting.
For the malted chocolate frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and salt. mix until creamy. Next, add in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and malted milk powder, The mixture will be very thick. Lastly add vanilla and milk or cream 1 tbsp at a time until the frosting is creamy & smooth. Mix for another 2 minutes. The frosting should be light and fluffy. Set aside until you're ready to frost your cake.
