Howdy partner! Can you believe it’s been almost a full year since we hunkered down in our home offices? Or at least it’s been a year since I started wiping down groceries with Clorox wipes and shopping for protective face masks in my spare time. What a crazy, unpredictable year it has been and BOY am I looking forward to the future.

I won’t wax poetic on the trials and tribulations of 2020, but I do want to say that due to these “unforeseen circumstances,” I’ve been baking a heck of a lot more than I did while staying keto. For better or worse, I’m enjoying more carbs and loving being able to get creative in the kitchen. And cake is comforting. Period. A lot has changed since I last blogged but my love for cake has not. My husband and I bought a house, moved back up to the Bay Area, I have a new job… but we’re in a global pandemic, and I haven’t seen my friends or extended family in over a year. Needless to say it’s been challenging. I’ve been turning to my tried and true favorites for a bit of nostalgia and comfort amidst all this change.

A few weeks ago, my parents came over for lunch (they’re in my quarantine bubble!) and I decided it was a great opportunity to bake cake - while also being able to send it home with someone else. Recipe books were scanned and this beautiful Peanut Butter-Dipped Cookies-and-Cream Cake was screaming my name from the pages of Half Baked Harvest. While this recipe isn’t a true original, it’s a just as indulgent and scrummy as anything I’d put my signature on. Plus, I was able to whip the whole thing up within a couple of hours so it’s the perfect Valentine’s dish to serve up next weekend.

Now, if you have a nut allergy, this cake may not be for you. It’s definitely not for you tbh… BUT it is sooooo delicious for the rest of you nutters (nut lovers? nutaholics?)! This moist chocolate cake is sandwiched between fluffy gobs of peanut butter filling and Oreo cookie crumbs and coated in this insanely rich Nutella buttercream. Even typing about it makes my mouth water. It is quite the stunner to bring out after a healthy home-cooked meal. Dare I say, it would be just as stunning at… breakfast? There are nuts in here so it’s got protein to keep you full. That’s where my logic is at right now.

Most of this recipe is inspired by page 252 of the Half Baked Harvest Cookbook by Tieghan Gerard

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Cake:

Chocolate Cake (Ariel’s version):

2 1/4 cup flour
2 1/4 granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
3 eggs at room temperature
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (full fat preferred)
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup strong black coffee, hot
8 Oreos

Preheat your oven to 350°F and butter and flour 3 8” cake pans. Make sure to get into all the nooks of the cake pan to prevent sticking.

In a large bowl, sift together your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt). Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs, buttermilk, yogurt, canola oil, and vanilla at a low-medium speed. You don’t want this liquid splashing all over your counters. Mix until homogenous and smooth. Reduce the speed to low and add in your sifted dry ingredient mix, one cup at a time, until no lumps of powder remain. Slowly add in your coffee until combined. You’ll have a dark, liquid-y batter to divide equally into your 3 cake tins. On one of the cakes, place your 8 Oreos, flat, on top of the batter.

Bake 3 cakes on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes (mine took 32 min), until the tops look shiny and firm, and a cake tested comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edge of the pan and flip cakes onto a wire rack to cool. Do not frost until cakes are cooled and at room temperature.

Nutella Buttercream

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup Nutella
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of kosher salt

In a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of your bowl and then add in the Nutella and vanilla extract. Beat on high for 2 minutes more until the color is consistent. Add a pinch of salt and beat for 2 or 3 minutes more until super fluffy and smooth.

Peanut Butter Filling

2 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter together with a hand-mixer on medium high. You want to get the texture light and fluffy so this will take about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in vanilla and beat for 30 seconds. Sift in the confectioners sugar and then gradually increase the speed of your hand mixer until well combined. Mixture should be thick and fluffy.

Cake Assembly:

Place a plain cake layer down on your cake stand and top with 1 cup of peanut butter filling. Spread evenly, adding additional peanut butter filling if needed. Set the Oreo cake layer down next and repeat peanut butter filling step. You may have a bit of filling left over - that’s okay! You can use this to stack your decorative Oreos on top. Set final layer on top and crumb coat your cake. Place in the freezer for 5 min before frosting everything with your Nutella buttercream. Cake toppings optional (but also make it more show-stopping!).

Optional Toppings:

6 Oreos (for dipping)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp coconut oil
6 Oreos, cream removed, crushed (for cookie crumbs)
1 pack mini Reese’s peanut butter cups

Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil over a double boiler. Once smooth, remove from heat and dip Oreos half-way into the chocolate sauce. Place on parchment paper and cool in the freezer for 5 minutes or until set. Stack on top of finished cake after frosting. Yumtown!