March 1: Marty's Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday Cake . .

      Today, March 1, is Peanut Butter Day, and Feast of St. David, who apparently was a Welsh Hero way back around the time Beowulf slayed Grendel's Mother. Count down to Marty Mar's birthday, on Saturday. A few people will come over, for cake and candles and singing and ice cream, and possibly, if I can loosen them up, some Birthday Hat Making! ( I feel a bit like Winnie the Pooh. Is this the Hundred Acre Wood, you ask? YES, I answer, and I cannot wait tea time, when friends will visit my hollowed tree, eat too much Honey, and make Very Silly Hats, Just For Fun!)  Time to think menu!! Marty has settled on a Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer cake: Chocolate Cake w. Chocolate Ganache Icing and Peanut Butter Cream Filling. I have some cream cheese, which may be doing double duty, as I also want to do a Pumpkin Roll w. Maple Cream filling!! YUM!

        First, a search for a great recipe: We always raved about a chocolate cake recipe that my mom put a cup of coffee in, so that is what I look for: Martha Stewart says the coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor, which should help balance the rich creaminess of the dark ganache, and peanut butter filling. I want to use unsweetened Ghiradelli powdered cocoa for the cake: Since my visit to Ghiradelli Square on a visit to San Francisco with my Uncle George and sister Patti Ann in seventh grade, have had a soft spot for that chocolate and keep a canister on hand. . . Bingo! Ina Garten totally pulls through! Delightful! Delicious! D'Lovely!  This is her cake recipe: ( note to self: add buttermilk, dark chocolate bars, heavy whipping cream to grocery list)

Ingredients

Cake

1. 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2. 2 cups sugar
3. 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4. 2 teaspoons baking soda
5. 1 teaspoon baking powder
6. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
7. 1 cup buttermilk
8. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
9. 2 large eggs
10. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11. 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

I want a simple chocolate ganache frosting: Ina's recipe calls for more coffee in the frosting: Marty won't go for this and it would overpower the peanut butter cream filling........so here is the ganache....

Ganache Frosting

1. 1 1/4 pounds milk chocolate, chopped
2. 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream, warmed 

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Filling ( Also Great w. Whoopie Pies)

• 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 3/4  cup  creamy peanut butter
• 6  tablespoons  powdered sugar

Directions

1. Make the Cake!! Chocolate Ho! Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper; butter the paper. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt at low speed. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the oil, eggs and vanilla. Slowly beat the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then slowly beat in the hot coffee until fully incorporated.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.
4.   Cholesterol it up with the Ganache! In a medium bowl set in a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Whisk in the cream until smooth. Remove from the heat and refrigerate for 1 hour, whisking occasionally, until thick enough to spread.
5.  Peanut-Butter Cream a licious!!  
   Whip Cream Cheese and Peanut butter,  add powdered sugar, beat til fluffy and consistent color and texture. If you make this ahead and chill it, allow it to come to room temp before filling the cake: otherwise it will be too stiff and tear the cake...... Apply between layers of cool cake.
6. Assemble the Masterpiece!!!  Slice each layer of the chilled cake in half as for a. Evenly spread one-third of the peanut butter filling over the first layer, to the edge. Top with the second cake layer, rounded side up. Spread, repeat for layer 3....... Add the top layer, and spread the ganache over the top and side of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing: leftover cake should be refrigerated. 

Cupcake Alternate: Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling!