There’s something downright irresistible about a festive, candy-studded cake that brings a smile to everyone’s face. That’s what makes this M&M’s Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting such a showstopper! Imagine two rich, moist peanut butter cake layers bursting with colorful M&M’s Peanut Butter Candies, wrapped in the lushest, silkiest peanut butter frosting ever. It’s a dream dessert for parties, potlucks, birthdays, or anytime you want to wow a crowd with a homemade slice of pure joy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This cake relies on pantry staples jazzed up by the magic of M&M’s, but each ingredient plays a key role, from creating a fluffy crumb to delivering that crave-worthy peanut butter flavor and candy crunch. Gather these sweet essentials before you start and watch as they transform into a celebration in cake form.
- All-purpose flour: The foundation for tender structure, allowing the cake to hold together while remaining soft and moist.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Your leavening duo ensures a beautiful rise and balanced texture in each bite.
- Salt: Just a touch sharpens and lifts every flavor, keeping the sweetness in delicious check.
- Unsalted butter (softened): Helps create that trademark fluffy crumb and creamy richness we adore in classic cakes.
- Creamy peanut butter: The star flavor—providing richness, moisture, and that nostalgia-tinged peanutty punch.
- Granulated sugar: For sweetness and to help the cake brown gorgeously as it bakes.
- Large eggs: A key element to bind the batter and add richness—bring them to room temperature for the best results.
- Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla works magic in rounding out the flavors and deepening the cake’s aroma.
- Buttermilk: Adds tang and tenderness, creating the perfectly soft crumb you’ll want to sink your fork into.
- M&M’s Peanut Butter Candies: Bursts of color and peanut butter crunch that make this cake so playful and fun—don’t skip the extra handful for garnish!
- Powdered sugar (for frosting): Dissolves smoothly into the frosting for a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Heavy cream (for frosting): Lightens and fluffs up the frosting, making it easy to spread and silky smooth.
How to Make M&M’s Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
Step 1: Prep the Cake Pans and Heat the Oven
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. This little extra step makes sure your cakes turn out easily, keeping the layers beautiful for stacking and frosting.
Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Doing this ensures your leaveners are evenly distributed, setting the stage for a light and airy M&M’s Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting.
Step 3: Cream Butter, Peanut Butter, and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, creamy peanut butter, and granulated sugar together until the mixture is insanely light and fluffy. This step is key for texture—making your cake tender and lifting every flavor note.
Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla
Crack the eggs in, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in the vanilla extract. This slow, steady addition keeps the batter creamy and perfectly mixed. The fragrance at this stage is pure bliss!
Step 5: Alternate the Dry Ingredients and Buttermilk
With your mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk in 3 additions, starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined—overmixing is the enemy of a tender crumb, so resist the urge!
Step 6: Fold in the M&M’s
Now the fun part: gently fold in those delightful M&M’s Peanut Butter Candies. The batter becomes a confetti dream! Divide evenly between the two pans, smoothing the tops for even baking.
Step 7: Bake and Cool
Slide the pans into the oven and bake for 28–32 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a crumb or two. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack to cool completely—no rushing here if you want perfect results!
Step 8: Make the Peanut Butter Frosting
Beat together softened butter and peanut butter until gloriously smooth and creamy. Gradually whip in the powdered sugar, adding heavy cream between additions for lushness, then finish with vanilla extract. The result: cloud-like, decadent peanut buttery frosting.
Step 9: Assemble and Frost
Level the cake layers if needed, then spread a generous layer of frosting between them. Smother the entire cake—top and sides—in a thick layer of that dreamy frosting. Now, for the magic touch: garnish with more M&M’s Peanut Butter Candies for sparkle and crunch.
How to Serve M&M’s Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
Garnishes
To really make your M&M’s Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting pop, pile on a handful of M&M’s Peanut Butter Candies over the top right before serving. For extra flair, sprinkle a few chopped roasted peanuts or even a light dusting of powdered sugar. The color and crunch will make each slice a celebration on the plate.
Side Dishes
This cake is rich and indulgent, so it pairs wonderfully with simple, fresh sides like cold milk, hot coffee, or unsweetened tea. For a fun twist, serve slices with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream—they complement the peanut butter and chocolate notes beautifully.
Creative Ways to Present
Try stacking your M&M’s Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting on a bright cake stand, surrounded by extra candies for a party table centerpiece. You can also bake the batter in lined cupcake tins for single-serve “party bites,” or cut the cake into small squares for a dessert platter everyone can share.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you somehow have leftovers, rest assured this cake keeps beautifully. Store any extra slices covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. The flavors become even more pronounced after a day—the perfect midnight snack awaits!
Freezing
You can freeze unfrosted cake layers wrapped tightly in plastic and foil for up to 2 months. To freeze slices of fully frosted cake, arrange them on a sheet pan to firm up, then wrap individually and store in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature to enjoy.
Reheating
Cold cake is surprisingly delightful, but if you like your M&M’s Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting warm, simply let slices sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Avoid microwaving—gentle room-temp softening preserves the best texture of both cake and frosting.
FAQs
Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy?
Absolutely! If you’re a fan of a little bit of nutty bite, crunchy peanut butter adds wonderful texture to both the cake and frosting. Just note that the finished cake will have small peanut bits, which some people absolutely love.
What’s the best way to keep M&M’s from sinking in the cake?
To prevent all your M&M’s Peanut Butter Candies from sinking, try tossing them lightly in a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter. This little trick helps suspend them throughout the cake so every slice is packed with color and crunch.
Can I substitute another candy for M&M’s Peanut Butter Candies?
You can! While this recipe is designed to celebrate the peanut butter and chocolate combo, you could swap in regular M&M’s, chopped peanut butter cups, or even mini chocolate chips for a different but still delightful result.
Is it okay to make this cake a day in advance?
Yes, in fact the flavors deepen and meld overnight! Simply cover the finished cake and keep it at room temperature or in the fridge. If possible, add the garnish of extra M&M’s right before serving so they stay looking fresh and vibrant.
Can I bake this cake in a 9×13-inch pan?
Definitely! If you prefer a single-layer sheet cake, just use a greased and lined 9×13-inch pan instead. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time; check for doneness with a toothpick as usual.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a dessert that turns any day into a party, this M&M’s Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting is exactly what you need. With every bite bursting with flavor, color, and pure fun, it’s bound to become a family favorite. Whip it up soon, and watch smiles appear all around your table!
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M&M’s Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Indulge in the rich and nutty flavors of this decadent M&M’s Peanut Butter Cake with a luscious Peanut Butter Frosting. This show-stopping dessert is perfect for any celebration or gathering.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup M&M’s Peanut Butter Candies (plus more for garnish)
Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla.
- Combine ingredients: Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture, then fold in M&M’s. Divide batter into pans and bake.
- Prepare frosting: Beat together butter and peanut butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and cream, then mix in vanilla.
- Assemble the cake: Spread frosting between layers and over the cake. Garnish with M&M’s before serving.
Notes
- For easier slicing, chill the cake for 30 minutes after frosting.
- You can substitute crunchy peanut butter for added texture.
- Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 48 g
- Sodium: 310 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 72 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
