Today I am adding another Crazy Cake flavor to my Crazy Cake collection – Chocolate Peanut Butter Crazy Cake!
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CRAZY CAKE – A vintage, Depression era cake, also known as Wacky Cake, Depression Cake, Poor Man’s Cake, War Cake and more. A super moist chocolate cake topped with a dreamy peanut butter frosting, sure to cure that chocolate peanut butter craving! Best of all, it’s budget friendly, made with everyday items found in the kitchen. This is also a fun activity to do with kids! And if you’re looking for an egg-free option, add this one to your recipe box, there are no eggs in this delicious cake!
**You can skip the peanut butter frosting and use your favorite frosting or simply dust with powdered sugar for a delicious chocolate cake.**
Read great reviews from people who tried this recipe on Pinterest!
This cake combines my family’s favorite chocolate cake (Crazy Cake, No Eggs, Milk, Butter Or Bowls) and my favorite peanut butter frosting, making one amazing dessert!
Unlike all of my other crazy cake flavors, that do not call for eggs, milk or butter, the frosting for this cake calls for milk and butter. If you are looking for a dairy-free or vegan cake, please check out the dairy-free/vegan peanut butter frosting options below, in the tips section.
Looking for wonderful cakes that are egg, dairy free and vegan? Be sure check out my Crazy Cakes page with all my Crazy Cake flavor options!
My girls thought this cake should be called Buckeye Cake because it tastes like a Buckeye in cake form…but being from Michigan, that was never going to happen. GO BLUE!
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One thing is for sure, if you love peanut butter and chocolate, you will love this cake!
Pinnable Image
Chocolate Peanut Butter Crazy Cake
Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose)
- 3 tablespoons cocoa (unsweetened)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
Directions
For a step by step photo tutorial on how to make Crazy Cake, head over to my Chocolate Crazy Cake post.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix first 5 dry ingredients in a greased 8″ square baking pan. Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients – two small, one larger. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and the vegetable oil in third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth.
Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Top with the Peanut Butter Frosting below!
Peanut Butter Frosting
Frosting recipe from Allrecipes.com – Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature (be sure to use real butter, not margarine)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Directions
*Very Important – before making, be sure all ingredients for the frosting are at room temperature.
Place butter and peanut butter in a medium to large size bowl, beat using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Next add two cups of confectioners’ sugar, beat until blended well and it begins to thicken, then add vanilla (optional) and 1 tablespoon of milk at a time (3 tablespoons total) – mix for approximately 3 minutes, until it’s lighter, fluffy and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, add a little more milk and beat. When ready, frost cake – enjoy!
Tips
If you are looking for dairy-free or vegan peanut butter frosting to make this cake, here are a few great options:
- Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting from The Spruce Eats
- Vegan Peanut Butter Mousse from The Minimalist Baker
- Vegan Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting from Allrecipes
Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers!
Carol
I’m wondering about using peanut butter powder to add a bit of protein to a cake? Google says you can sub 1/3 of the flour but not sure if it would work in a crazy cake…
Mary Neumann
I have never tried this, but it may be worth an experiment in your kitchen, Carol!
Christn Campbell
What’s the baking time and temperature for 9×13?
Mary Neumann
Hello Christine – Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 to 40 minutes. Just be sure to check the center of the cake with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
Brenda
Do I just double the recipe for a 9 x 13 pan?
Mary Neumann
yes!
Jaimie
I’m wanting to make this as a birthday cake for my husband. Can you make it into a layer cake? Will it hold up? I can’t wait to try it. But I want it to be a little more fancier than a sheet pan cake.
Mary Neumann
Yes, Jaimie, you can make Crazy Cakes into layer cakes. You can see my post here: https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/two-layer-crazy-cake-no-eggs-milk-or-butter/
The PB frosting should be enough for a two layer cake 🙂
Nancy E All
I have made all the crazy cakes. Our favorite is the spice cake. I have also make cupcakes. Love all of them.
Cathi
Tried this for the first time today. The cake is really good, but I found the frosting was clawingly sweet! I scraped off about 2/3 of it and still found it to be too much. I’m a sweet lover, but this was too much for me. I need to find a lighter frosting, because I really liked the cake.
Kelly Eldred
Followed directions, wasn’t impressed. The frosting was very good.
Mary Neumann
Kelly, sorry to hear, the cake portion of the recipe has been around since the Great Depression, cherished by so many. My site alone has hundreds of rave reviews for the chocolate crazy cake. . I agree, the frosting is VERY VERY good 🙂
Linda Bardin
This cake was so easy to make. And the peanut butter frosting is yummy!
Kate
I made this cake exactly as written for my brother-in-law‘s birthday. It was perfect. Everyone raved about it!
Pearl
I make this for my partner’s daughter who is egg-free, dairy-free and gluten-free due to allergies. I substitute chickpea flour for the white and it always turns out great! The peanut butter frosting works with a plant based substitute for the butter and almond milk. Everyone enjoys it!
Nancy
OMG ! I anticipated the cake would be tasty. I grew up with a version my mom made. But honestly THAT FROSTING IS TO DIE FOR! I’ll be using that frosting recipe for other baked treats too. Even my husband who isn’t a peanut butter fan loves it!
Dyanne
I made this recipe and also used the vegan peanut butter frosting from what spruce eats and what a hit it was ! It was easy and delicious ! I can’t wait to try the other varieties . No one could believe it was dairy free ! I wish I took a picture but we ate it to fast
Heather
My mom and gram made this cake for yrs and they did the same thing. The only reason I can see is you are able to tell if you have all the ingredients in the batter before you mix it up, when you make the depressions. My family never told me why they did it and I do it too. Best guest.
Valerie A Beck
So I have a question….first of all, I made this cake…Terrific!!!!…I actually made it twice cause the first one went so fast and everyone wanted more. My question is… Why make the three depressions…to pour the vinegar, vanilla, and oil in. I did it like this, but as I was doing it I kept thinking why can’t you just pour it all into a bowl and mix it up??? Just curious. I will make this again…next time I want to try a buttercream frosting on it….Thanks@@
Meo
I want to know about those depressions also. It seems like the greased pan wouldn’t be greased anymore after mixing the ingredients well in the pan.
Alison
This is the cake I grew up on–in fact, it is so easy that I often made it myself as a child. I often wondered the exact same thing. I honestly think it wouldn’t make any difference. Maybe the depressions are just a nod to its alternate name, “Depression Cake”, although it is also called that because it was popular during the Great Depression.