Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

I love making pies, I love eating pies, and I've been told I'm not too bad at either one. Cakes, however, are more of a mystery to me. I know a good cake when I taste one, but that's about the extent of my expertise. I'm pretty sure that if I took a class on cake decorating I'd get the same grade as I would get in rocket science. My cakes are the very epitome of real Cake Wrecks (much worse than the ones on the website). On the other hand, my 12-year-old daughter is quickly becoming a cake connoisseur. She is always on the hunt for a new recipe to try and loves looking at books and magazines for fun ideas for decorating. I have gladly handed all cake baking over to her and my family's not complaining a bit! Here is a glimpse at one of her latest creations and believe me when I say it tasted every bit as good as it looked!

Click here for Printable Recipe.

The ingredients:
3 eggs
1-2/3 cups sugar, divided
1-1/2 cups milk, divided
3 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING:
2 packages (8-oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14-oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 cups peanut butter
1/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped
3 milk chocolate candy bars, broken into squares (she used chocolate chips instead)

In a saucepan, whisk one egg until blended. Stir in 2/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup milk, and chocolate squares. Cook and stir over medium heat until chocolate is melted and mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Add remaining eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with remaining milk, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate mixture; mix well.

Pour into three greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans. Bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting, beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add milk and peanut butter ,beating well after each addition. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with peanuts. Garnish with milk chocolate curls and squares.

Enjoy!