Reese's Overload Cake

I have to admit that I didn't even happen upon this next dessert myself. One of my coworkers found it and I knew I HAD to make it. It is sinful just to look at!

To be honest I should have thinned the frosting out a bit more to make it more smooth, but it tasted just as amazingly peanut buttery as you could ever want anyway. Plus the sides are generously covered in dark chocolate and peanut butter chips to hide any flaws :). Genius.

So basically what you have here is two peanut butter cake layers with a chocolate cheesecake layer in the middle. There is a chocolate frosting in between each layer and the entire cake is covered in peanut butter frosting. Like I said, the sides are covered in dark chocolate and peanut butter chips and there are chopped Reese's on top. As if this wasn't enough, I decided to add a little chocolate sauce I had left over from my Toffee Crunch Cupcakes.

So? Are you salivating yet? I mean just look at all that peanut butter chocolatey goodness!

I mean REALLY look at it!

This next picture doesn't really do the cake justice, but it was the only one I could get of the inside before it was completely devoured at work!

Okay, okay. Enough with the torture. Here's the recipe:

Reese's overload cake
{recipe slightly adapted from Hugs & Cookies XOXO}

for the peanut butter cake layers:

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch pans and line with parchment. Butter the parchment.
2. Melt butter and peanut butter together in microwave. Put in bowl of electric mixer and add sugar. Beat to combine. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well. Add flour and baking powder. Beat until just incorporated.
3. Divide batter into the two prepared pans. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean from center. Cool completely. It may be easier to freeze the cooled layers before frosting.

for the crustless chocolate cheesecake:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
•  2- 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 ounce package Cook and Serve vanilla pudding
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 Hershey's bars, broken into pieces
• 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease one 9-inch springform pan with shortening. Line the pan with parchment paper and then grease the parchment.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Gradually add cream cheese until smooth. Scrape bowl down the sides and beat again on medium speed, adding eggs one at a time. Add baking powder and vanilla pudding powder and mix until just incorporated. 
3. In a separate heatproof bowl over simmering water combine the 2 Hershey's bars and 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes and then stir until smooth. Add melted chocolate to rest of cheesecake batter and mix until smooth.
4. Pour into prepared pan. Smooth batter with offset spatula and bake for 50-55 minutes or until set. Let cheesecake cool, but do not remove from pan. Cover it and put directly into the freezer and leave until frozen solid.

for the peanut butter frosting:

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4-1/2 cup milk

Directions

Beat peanut butter, butter, vanilla and 2 cups of powdered  sugar until smooth. Slowly add the rest of the powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Beat on high until fluffy.

for the chocolate frosting:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar 
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Heat cream in the microwave until very hot but not boiling. Pour into mixer with cocoa powder and 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Mix well. Add butter, vanilla and the other 1 cup of powdered sugar. Beat on high until smooth.

for the chocolate  sauce:

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup dark chocolate
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons water, warm

Directions

Place chocolate and heavy cream in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes and then stir until smooth. Add powdered sugar and stir to combine. Add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let cool to warm.

assembly:

Ingredients for decoration

• 2-3 cups dark chocolate chips
• 2-3 cups peanut butter chips
• 8 peanut butter cups, chopped

Layer the cake like so: peanut butter cake layer covered in chocolate frosting, followed by chocolate cheesecake layer covered in chocolate frosting, and then put the final peanut butter cake layer on top. Frost entire outside of cake in peanut butter frosting. Push peanut butter and dark chocolate chips into the sides of cake. Place a circle of chocolate sauce in the middle of the top of the cake. Place the chopped peanut butter cups on top of the chocolate circle. Drizzle more chocolate sauce on top of cake. Keep chilled.