Oopsy Daisy Cake

How was everyone's Thanksgiving?  Full of fun, food, family and friends, I hope?  And please tell me you ate too much...because, you know, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving unless you did.  This cake definitely sent me over the edge.

Not long ago, I mentioned on my Facebook page that my sister's brother-in-law went to Baked (which he frequents fairly often) and picked up an autographed copy of their latest cookbook, Baked Elements.  Amazing doesn't even begin to describe it.

Since Tony's birthday is this week, I told him before Thanksgiving that he could pick any recipe from the book, and I'd bake it for him and bring it to dinner.  I was super excited when he chose this, since it's actually a favorite of mine after browsing through it.

Baking this cake served as a reminder that I need to pick up 8 inch round pans.  I know this cake would have looked much better if it were baked in them, rather than my 9 inch pans.  Good thing it didn't affect the taste...

I could barely finish my piece, especially with all the other great desserts that we had to choose from.  And I kicked myself for not bringing home a leftover piece!  Sigh.

If any of you have this book, please tell me what you've baked from it and how it was (I'm sure amazing will be the answer, but just incase)...and if you haven't made anything yet, tell me what you'd like me to make next!  I'm open to suggestions :)


Oopsy Daisy Cake
slightly adapted from Baked Elements

for the milk chocolate layers:
2 ounces high quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup hot coffee
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/3 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (5 ounces) butter, softened and cut into cubes
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the peanut butter filling:
1/2 stick butter, softened and cut into cubes
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the vanilla peanut butter frosting:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup AP flour
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 sticks butter, cool but not cold, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon peanut butter filling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the assembly:
3/4 cup roasted salted peanuts
3-4 ounces high quality dark chocolate, shaved


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter two 9 inch round pans (they recommend 8 inch), line bottoms with parchment, and butter parchment.  Dust with flour and knock out excess.

Place chocolate and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl.  Pour hot coffee directly over it and whisk until combined.  Add milk and whisk until smooth.

In another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, around 3 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each is added.  Add vanilla and beat until mixed in.  Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.

Add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth tops.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until a toothpick comes clean out of centers.  Transfer pans to wire rack and cool 20 minutes.  Invert cakes onto rack, remove pans and let cool completely.  Peel off parchment.

to make the peanut butter filling:
In bowl of stand mixer using paddle attachment, beat butter on high speed until smooth.  Add peanut butter and beat on medium-low speed until just combined.  Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Set aside.

to make the vanilla peanut butter frosting:
Whisk sugar and flour together in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan.  Add milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until it comes to a boil and has thickened, 10-15 minutes.

Transfer mixture to bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.  Beat on high until cool, about 7 minutes.  (You can speed this up by pressing bags of frozen fruits/veggies against the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.  I did not do this, FYI.)  Reduce speed to low and add butter.  Mix until fully incorporated.  Increase speed to medium-high and heat until frosting is light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.

Add peanut butter filling and vanilla and continue mixing until combined.  If frosting becomes too soft, put in fridge to chill a bit, then beat again until consistency is correct.  If it's too firm, set bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with wooden spoon until consistency is correct.

to assemble the cake:
Place one cake layer on serving platter.  Trim top to create a flat surface and evenly spread peanut butter filling, followed by a thin layer of vanilla peanut butter frosting.  Add next cake layer, trim it, and frost top and sides with remaining frosting.  Sprinkle peanuts around perimeter of cake and shave chocolate all over the top.

Cake can be stored at room temperature, covered with a cake dome or in a cake saver, for up to 3 days.