Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cake: A Sweet Adventure from The Baker's Man Kitchen

Baking, much like life, doesn’t always go as planned—and that’s okay! Just ask Anna from The Baker's Man. With her wonderfully imperfect approach to baking, Anna teaches us that some treats turn out as showstoppers, while others . . . well, let’s just say they have character.

This Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cake is inspired by Anna’s philosophy: embrace the process, have fun, and don’t stress over perfection. With its rich chocolate layers, creamy peanut butter frosting, and a salty pretzel crunch, this cake is a little sweet, a little salty, and totally satisfying—even if your frosting ends up a little crooked or your pretzels don’t line up just right.

Here’s the thing: the joy is in the journey. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a kitchen newbie, this cake is a chance to get messy, experiment, and create something uniquely yours. And while it’s cooling, why not dive into Anna’s magical story in The Baker's Man? Who knows—you might just discover a sprinkle of magic in your own kitchen.

Ready to bake? Preheat your oven, grab your favorite mixing bowl, and let’s make something deliciously imperfect together. Oh, and don’t forget to share your creations—crooked frosting and all!

Happy baking and happy reading!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cake

Serves: 12

Level of Difficulty: Average

Ingredients

For the cake:

3 c cake flour

¾ c unsweetened natural cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp instant espresso powder

1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ½ c packed light brown sugar

1 ½ c white sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tbsp butter vanilla extract (or pure vanilla)

2 c buttermilk

For the salted peanut butter buttercream frosting:

2 c (4 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature)

1 ½ c smooth, all-natural peanut butter

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp butter vanilla extract (or pure vanilla)

4 c confectioners’ sugar

1 c heavy cream (or more as needed)

For decoration:

1 c pretzels, coarsely chopped

6 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

a handful of dry roasted peanuts

a few handfuls of whole mini pretzel twists

How to Make

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 8-inch baking pans.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.

3. In an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until butter is fluffy, 5-7 minutes.

4. Add the eggs, one at time, making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next one.

5. Beat in vanilla.

6. With the mixer on low, add half of the flour mixture. Mix until combined.

7. Add the buttermilk in a slow steady stream until mixed.

8. Add the remaining flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer and stir a few times with a spatula.

9. Divide the batter into the three cake pans.

10. Bake for 25–30 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean) on the upper middle third rack of the oven.

11. Allow cakes to cool for at least 20 minutes. Invert onto cooling racks for another half an hour.

12. Frost cake.

For the frosting:

1. In an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until softened.

2. Add peanut butter, salt, and vanilla, and beat until combined.

3. Add 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar, and beat on low until combined. Beat on medium for two minutes.

4. Add ½ c of heavy cream, and beat on low.

5. Add the remaining 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar, and beat on low. Once combined, beat on medium until complete combined and fluffy.

6. Add remaining ½ c of heavy cream, and beat on low until combined. Then beat on medium for five minutes. Add more cream if necessary.

To decorate cake:

1. You can be creative! But here's what I did: Frost bottom layer. Add 2 oz of chopped chocolate and ½ c of chopped pretzels to the top of the layer.

2. Frost middle layer. Add 2 oz of chopped chocolate and the remaining chopped pretzels to the top of the layer.

3. Add the final layer. Frost the top and the side of the cake. Smooth the frosting. To the top of the cake, add the remaining chopped chocolate, and decorate with the roasted peanuts.