Vanilla cake is mixed with peanut butter buttercream frosting to create a moist and delicious cake ball. The best part is the coating, which I use milk chocolate for to create these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Balls that are the perfect dessert for any occasion!
If you love cake balls as much as I do, be sure to check out my Dark Chocolate Funfetti Cake Balls, Eggless Chocolate Caramel Cake Balls, or my Brunch Cake Balls!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Cake balls are something I absolutely love! They are one of my all time favorite desserts, ten times better than cake itself and they even rival cookies in my book, a very close second. They are a like a cake and a buttercream candy had a baby. I mean what could be better than that? I like to keep them in the fridge and they are a cool treat that's perfect on a hot day, which makes for the best summer dessert recipe.
If you've made my Dark Chocolate Funfetti Cake Balls or my Easy Carrot Cake Balls then you will absolutely love these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Balls. While cake balls can take a little extra time, they are completely worth it as they are just so delicious! So when you're craving something cool and delicious, spend the extra time and bake these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Balls.
Tips for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Balls
• Just like cake, you want to make sure your butter is soft. Since it's warm out now, it is easy to let butter soften naturally on the countertop. But, if you find yourself making this recipe mid winter or you have to microwave your butter, be sure to only do 10 second intervals per 1/2 cup.
• I prefer to use room temperature eggs, milk, and sour cream in cake as it will help keep your cake batter very smooth. When these ingredients are cold right out of the fridge and they are added to butter that is room temperature, it can seize up and create butter chunks. These butter chunks will then be in the batter, and that will cause little holes or pockets of butter in your cake. This makes the cake a different texture one that is not as fluffy and doesn't have a very good crumb. So, that's why using room temperature dairy is important in cake recipes that include softened butter.
• If you don't have three 6-inch cake pans, you can also bake these off in cupcake pans instead. They will bake for the same amount of time, and because you are going to break up the cake anyways, it doesn't matter if they are baked in cake pans or muffin tins.
• Make sure you allow the cake to cool completely before mixing with the frosting. If the cake is warm, it can melt the buttercream, which isn't ideal. You can even pop the cakes in the fridge to speed up the cooling process if you are getting antsy.
• When coating them, I use a fork like a spoon. I don't pierce the balls, but scoop them with a fork. This way the excess chocolate can drip through the fork back into the bowl, and then I can set it down on the parchment paper.
• You can also store these in the freezer for up to 3 months (if they last that long)!
Ingredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Balls
Costco Kirkland Organic Cane Sugar
Simply Organic Vanilla Extract
Wholesome Sweeteners Powdered Sugar
Costco Kirkland Organic Peanut Butter
Mama Ganache Organic Milk Chocolate
Why Organic
Why use organic ingredients in this recipe? You all know I’m a huge organic advocate, and I bet you may be thinking sometimes, Why would I even bother to use organic ingredients in something that is so sweet and indulgent? But, that is the exact reason why you should use organic ingredients! Sweet things need to have flavor in order to be good, otherwise they are just sweet and they don’t taste like much else. Organic ingredients are more pure than conventional ones, therefore they actually have more flavor than the non organic options. Say it with me, organic means more flavor! And not just more flavor but a more true and pure flavor. And organic ingredients are much healthier for you to eat in general as they do not contain GMOs or anything artificial. Plus, you are being environmentally friendly when you choose organic ingredients!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
The best combination just got better, these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Balls will be your favorite way to enjoy chocolate and peanut butter!
Ingredients
- Batter
1/2 cup (113 grams) organic salted butter, softened
170 grams (3/4 cup) organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
2 organic large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup organic milk, room temperature
57 grams (1/4 cup) organic sour cream, room temperature
170 grams (1 cup plus 3 tablespoons) organic cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Frosting
3/4 cup (170 grams) organic salted butter, softened
340 grams (heaping 2 1/3 cups) organic powdered sugar, sifted
43 grams (heaping 2 tablespoons) organic peanut butter
2 to 3 teaspoons organic milk
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
- Coating
1 pound (454 grams) organic milk chocolate, chopped
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 3 cake pans with parchment paper.
- To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter. Add the eggs, milk, and sour cream and mix on low until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, and sea salt and whisk together. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the cake flour and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until completely combined.
- Divide the batter evenly into each of the cake pans, about 227 grams each. Spread evenly and bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until smooth.
- To make the balls: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the cake from the pans, doesn't matter if you break it, as it all needs to be broken up into pieces anyways. Add into the bowl with the frosting and stir with a spatula, or I like to just use my hands and get messy (this is also where gloves come in handy). Mix until evenly combined. Form into 35 balls and place onto prepared baking sheets. Place in the freezer. I like to place in the freezer for about 10 minutes, then remove and reshape the balls as I have a very difficult time making perfectly round balls. You can skip this step if you like, or if you know how to roll perfect balls! Put back in the freezer.
- To make the coating: Using a double boiler, add 80% of the milk chocolate. Melt until it reaches 110°F on a chocolate thermometer. Remove from heat and add in remaining 20% and stir vigorously to combine completely. Let the chocolate come down to 89°F.
- Remove the balls from the freezer, and dip into the milk chocolate. Using a fork like a spoon, remove so excess chocolate drips off below. Place back on the parchment paper. Dip and coat all the balls. Place back in the freezer. If you have extra chocolate, you can remove again in about 10 minutes and drizzle over the top. This is optional but can make them look a little fancy. But, for me it doesn't matter how they look as I will just eat them all!
- Store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Notes
- Gluten Free – Replace the cake flour with 170 grams (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon) organic gluten free flour blend.
- High Altitude – Bake at 350°F for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
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Make sure to check out my Dark Chocolate Funfetti Cake Balls recipe, which I'm sure you'll love too! And, share it with someone who you think will like it too!
