Description
Indulge in the ultimate chocolate and peanut butter delight with this Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Earthquake Cake. A rich dark chocolate fudge cake base is topped with a creamy peanut butter cream cheese frosting, sprinkled generously with chocolate chips and halved Reese’s peanut butter cups, then baked to perfection. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 box dark chocolate fudge cake mix
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Toppings
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups, halved
For Serving
- Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the package instructions, usually by adding oil, eggs, and water. Whisk until smooth and pour the batter evenly into the greased baking dish.
- Make the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting: In a separate bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, butter, peanut butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing well until the frosting becomes thick and fluffy.
- Assemble the Cake: Spread the peanut butter cream cheese frosting evenly over the cake batter in the baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and halved Reese’s peanut butter cups on top, gently pressing them into the frosting to secure.
- Bake the Cake: Place the assembled cake in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake to maintain moistness.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, slice and serve each portion with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent treat.
Notes
- Use full-fat cream cheese and butter for the creamiest frosting.
- Miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups are easier to distribute and bake evenly.
- If you prefer a less sweet cake, reduce the powdered sugar by 1/2 cup in the frosting.
- Ensure the cake is fully cooled before slicing to avoid the frosting melting too much.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of cake)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: Reese's cake, peanut butter cake, chocolate peanut butter dessert, earthquake cake, chocolate fudge cake, cream cheese frosting
