Mini Espresso Cakes With Peanut Butter Frosting Recipes

MOCHA LAYER CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sugar, stevia, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with coffee in 2 parts.
• Divide batter equally between the cake pans and bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
• Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and let cool completely on a rack, at least 45 minutes.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine peanut butter and butter. Beat on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently, until very smooth. Add stevia, powdered sugar, and cornstarch and beat until smooth and combined. Gradually beat in cream and vanilla until frosting is light-colored, smooth, and fluffy.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 1/3 of the frosting and spread evenly to the very edge of the cake. Top with the second cake layer and 1/3 of the frosting. Top with the final cake layer and remaining frosting, spreading it smoothly to the edge of the cake, leaving the sides bare. Sprinkle peanuts in a 1-inch wide ring around the top outer edge of the cake, and sprinkle a few in the center.

MINI ESPRESSO CAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

Steps:

• Special equipment: Stand mixer and 4 (3/8-pound) mini loaf pans
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter and flour mini loaf pans. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix together the sour cream and espresso until dissolved.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well incorporated. On low speed, add half the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Add half the sour cream and mix until combined. Repeat with remaining flour and sour cream. Pour into prepared loaf pans filling halfway with batter. Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.
• For the frosting: In stand mixer, mix together butter and peanut butter over medium high speed until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
• Top mini loaves with peanut butter frosting.

CHOCOLATE AND ESPRESSO LAYER CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER ICING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two 8-inch nonstick cake pans with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, espresso, coconut oil, vanilla and eggs. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add in the wet mixture, whisking until just combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake on the center rack until puffed, the sides pull away from the edges and an inserted cake tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven, immediately cover them with clean kitchen towels and press any domed portions down¿careful, it's hot! (This will help make sure that you don't have to level the cakes.) Allow the cakes to cool in their pans to room temperature. When completely cooled, invert onto plates.
• For the icing: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed, about 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides with a spatula to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Add the peanut butter and mix on medium speed to combine. Again, turn the mixer off. Mix in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on LOW speed (or else you'll have powdered sugar everywhere!). Add the vanilla and mix once more.
• Transfer the icing to a piping bag. Ice the top of one cake layer, using a circular motion, starting from the outside and gradually moving to the center; do not ice the sides of the cake. Set the second cake layer on top of the first and repeat with the icing; again, do not ice the sides. Drag the back of a spoon in a side-to-side motion across the icing on top to lend a beautifully textured look to the icing.
• Sprinkle the iced cake with the chopped peanuts. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.