Quilters know peanut butter cakes, too

Published 10:19 pm Sunday, January 6, 2008

Getting back to Everett reader Bret Lawson’s recent request for a peanut butter cake with peanut butter frosting, Lake Stevens cook and longtime Forum helper-outer Karen Hume antes up with a pair of possibilities, both taken from her copy of “Favorite Recipes From Quilters.”

Although the first recipe comes with a chocolate frosting, there’s probably no reason it couldn’t be replaced by the second cake’s pb frosting.

The chocolate does sound good, though, doesn’t it?

Jacquelyn Kreitzer’s peanut butter cake

3/4cup butter, softened

3/4cup creamy peanut butter

2cups brown sugar

3eggs

2cups flour

1tablespoon baking powder

1/2teaspoon salt

1cup milk

1teaspoon vanilla

Rich chocolate frosting (recipe follows)

1/2cup chopped peanuts

Cream together butter and peanut butter. Gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed with electric mixer. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition. Add vanilla.

Spoon into greased and floured, 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool thoroughly, then frost cake liberally with rich chocolate frosting and sprinkle with peanuts.

Makes 20 to 24 servings.

Rich chocolate frosting

1cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1/2cup half-and-half

1cup butter or margarine

21/2cups sifted powdered sugar

Combine chocolate morsels, half-and-half and butter or margarine in double boiler; heat until melted and smooth. Blend in sugar. Set pan in ice and beat at medium speed with electric mixer until frosting holds its shape.

Sara Wilson’s peanut butter cake

2cubes (1 cup) margarine

1cup water

1cup peanut butter

2cups flour

2cups (or less) sugar

1teaspoon baking soda

1/2teaspoon salt

1/2cup milk plus 1 teaspoon vinegar

2eggs

1teasoon vanilla

Frosting (recipe follows)

To prepare cake, melt margarine in saucepan; add water and peanut butter and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients. Add milk-vinegar mixture, eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Spread batter in 12-by-17-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and, while still hot, cover cake with frosting. Cool before serving.

Makes 20 servings.

Frosting

1cube (1/2 cup) margarine

6tablespoons milk

1/2cup peanut butter

1package (1 pound) powdered sugar

1teaspoon vanilla

Combine margarine, milk and peanut butter in a saucepan and bring to boil; add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well. Pour frosting over hot cake.

The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Food section.