Chocolate Peanut Butter Coffee Cake

We live in a world where chocolate peanut butter coffee cakes are an acceptable breakfast option, but this would also be a great dessert option!

At what point does a breakfast pastry become a dessert? I think claiming things like doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, muffins, coffee cakes, etc as breakfast food is already a stretch (not that I am complaining but let’s be honest with ourselves). But now I put a load of peanut butter and chocolate into this coffee cake and I’m fairly certain this is more dessert than breakfast. But who says I won’t still eat a slice for breakfast anyway? I am an adult and I do what I want…within reason because I cannot afford to buy a new wardrobe to fit that lifestyle.

My peach-basil coffee cake was such a huge hit that when it came to conjuring up ideas for #Choctoberfest it quickly came to mind as one to adapt for the occasion. I added peanut butter and obviously chocolate chips to the base, removed oats from the topping and added cocoa powder and peanuts but also divided said topping in half to make a nice swirl in the middle, and then added peanut butter to the icing to drizzle on top.

I realize for the chocoholics out there you may have preferred the reverse scenario, with a chocolate base and a peanut butter swirl. I actually originally thought to do that because today I am also celebrating #PBchocSat a day early because Ohio State plays tonight at Northwestern and a chocolate cake with a peanut butter middle would have resembled the appearance of a buckeye. But since my taste preferences lean towards more peanut butter in a ratio with chocolate this is what you have to settle for. As if this coffee cake is anything close to settling.

And since I felt like this coffee cake was worthy of dessert status I went ahead and served my slice with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Because I had some leftover from making white hot chocolate. Heck this would be great paired with said hot chocolate, don’t you think?

Tomorrow is your last change to enter the #Choctoberfest giveaway! Which means after you scroll through the list of recipes shared today at the bottom of this post you need to go enter if you haven’t already.

Five years ago: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Six years ago: Horror Show Pistachio Zombie Cupcakes

Seven years ago: Review: Baking for Friends

Eight years ago: Homemade Potato Knishes by Overtime Cook

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COFFEE CAKE

Makes 1 cake

Ingredients:

FILLING/TOPPING

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Imperial Sugar light brown sugar

1/4 cup Imperial Sugar granulated pure cane sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

COFFEE CAKE

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature”

1/2 cup Imperial Sugar light brown sugar

1/2 cup Imperial Sugar granulated pure cane sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 eggs, room temperature

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

GLAZE

Heaping 1/4 cup Imperial Sugar powdered sugar

1 Tbsp milk

1 Tbsp peanut butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-inch spring-form pan with non-stick spray, set aside.
2. In a small bowl add all the filling/topping ingredients except the peanuts and cut in sugar until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl mix the buttermilk and vanilla. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Blend in peanut butter. Add the eggs and beat until just incorporated. Alternate adding in the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, mixing just until combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
6. Pour half the batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with half of the filling/topping and pour remaining batter evenly on top. Add peanuts to remaining topping and sprinkle on top, pressing lightly to make it stick.
7. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with just a few crumbs. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely on a wire rack.
8. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and peanut butter until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake. Allow glaze to harden and serve.

Source: Adapted from my Peach-Basil Coffee Cake.