Fluffy Reese’s Cake? What kind of a name is that? Hopefully it sounds half as awesome as it tastes.

I made this cake for my parents who were having a couple foodie friends over and I wanted to impress them with a knockout cake. Okay, so it wasn’t the prettiest cake…but it tastes out of this world.

Take my word on this one, because I’m like the expert on every component of this cake. I ate basically half the batch of peanut butter swiss meringue filling (scrumptious on steroids), ate the leftover cake batter (no shame at all), and taste tested the whipped cream frosting…just to be sure it was perfect.

And then when it was all put together and I finally ate a slice of the real cake, I think I heard angels singing (not to toot my own horn).

So you can bake this cake for your next guest, for a party, or just because it’s Monday. Whatever works.

Chocolate Cake

(Makes 1 thick 6-inch spring form cake)

(How could I possibly use anything but my go-to favorite chocolate cake recipe?!)

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup dark cocoa powder

1 cup plus 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar

2 eggs

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 1 (6-inch) springform cake pan.
2. In a medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa powder, and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
3. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside
4. Cream butter and sugar together in mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. Pour batter into prepared cake pan. There will be extra. You can either make cupcakes, whoopie pies, or freeze the batter for later use with the extra batter.
5. Bake batter that is in prepared cake pan in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until top springs back when touched and toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center. Let cool on wire rack for 25 minutes. Invert out of cake pan and onto wire rack. Cool an additional 30 minutes. Pop in fridge for 15 minutes. Cut in half lengthwise. Assemble with peanut butter swiss meringue filling, then frost with whipped cream, and top with chocolate ganache.

Peanut Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream

(Makes enough for the filling of about two layers of a cake)

3 egg whites

5 oz. white sugar

3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) butter, cubed and softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1. In a double boiler, whisk together egg whites and white sugar. Put double boiler over heat and whisk constantly until mixture reaches 150 degrees F. 
2. Pour egg white-sugar mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. Switch to paddle attachment.
3. With mixer running on high, add in butter 1-2 cubes at a time until it is completely incorporated. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla extract and continue mixing until frosting is desired consistency

Whipped Cream Frosting

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until it forms stiff peaks and becomes whipped cream consistency. I used this to frost the top and sides of my cake. Keep cake refrigerated.

Chocolate Ganache

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium-high heat unit it is boiling, bubbling, and expanding in size. Quickly pour over chocolate chips, mix with wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Top cupcakes with ganache and enjoy!

Random Fact of the Day: Of all the words in the English language, the word “set” has the most definitions

Related articles

• Good Morning Breakfast Cake (deliciousonadollar.com)
• Wilton Cake Decorating Basics Course: Part 2 – Lessons Learned! (twistedcheft.com)
• Benny’s Carrot Cake {Recipe} (makingtimeformommy.com)