Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake

There's no question the combination of peanut butter and chocolate is special. A match made in culinary heaven. But imagine peanut butter, chocolate and CAKE, all in one bite? That's what this amazing treat delivers. A mouthful of happiness.

Why is my cake so tall? Because I wanted a big cake! I'm a big fan of tall cakes, so I baked this batter in an 8-inch square cake pan. For a thinner, longer cake, use a 9x13-inch pan and reduce the baking time to 20 to 25 minutes (I'd start checking at around 18 minutes).

About the icing: In this case, I chose store-bought icing for the top of the cake. If you want to make icing from scratch, make the chocolate ganache from my Cupcake Party blog.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake

Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup milk or fat-free half & half
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup prepared chocolate icing

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray (see note above about cake size).
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed until blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Beat in the peanut butter. Beat in the flour mixture and milk, alternating each and beginning and ending with the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes (for a 9x13-inch pan, start checking at 18 minutes), until a wooden pick comes out clean or with little bits of cake clinging to it.
Cool completely on a rack before icing.

Serves 6