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An easy, vegan peanut butter cake with decadent chocolate peanut butter glaze on top is a show-stopping dessert. This is the ultimate, moist peanut butter cake! (blender cake, ready in 25 minutes, soy-free and gluten-free options). This recipe was first published on Dec 8, 2016.
Table of Contents
This peanut butter sheet cake is super easy and moist. And you can make the batter in the blender! Using the blender method, it takes only 5 minutes to get everything together. You can make the peanut butter cake batter in a bowl, if you prefer.
Whip up the 5-ingredient chocolate glaze or make a peanut butter frosting while the cake bakes. When the cake is cool, you’re ready to frost and serve.
This Moist peanut butter cake is amazing as-is or with a glaze or frosting. It’s also a versatile recipe! Use any nut butter of choice, like almond or cashew butter.
The chocolate glaze is just vegan chocolate chips, non dairy milk, coconut oil, and peanut butter. It comes together quickly in a pan on the stovetop while the cake is baking and cooling.
Add some chopped peanuts to the batter for crunch. You can also add dried fruits or chocolate chips to the cake!
Why You’ll Love Peanut Butter Cake
- moist, fluffy peanut butter cake
- rich chocolate peanut butter ganache topping
- quick and easy cake batter you make in the blender
- sub nut butter of choice, like almond or cashew butter or sun butter for nutfree
- easy to make soy-free and/or gluten-free
More Vegan Desserts!
Vegan Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Glaze
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 1/2 cup non dairy milk
- 3/4 cup sugar , or other vegan sugar of your choice, like coconut sugar. Use 2 tbsp more for sweeter cake.
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heaped smooth peanut butter, You can also use almond or cashew butter.
- 1 tbsp oil, , optional
- 2 cups flour, (all purpose) see note for gluten-free
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate
- 2 tsp coconut oil, preferably refined (optional)
- 1/4 cup non dairy milk
- 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter, or almond butter
- 1 tbsp sugar, optional – for sweeter glaze
Instructions
Make the peanut butter cake.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (180º C). Line or grease a brownie pan. 8×8 or 9×9 inch
- In a blender, add non dairy milk, sugar, maple, vanilla, peanut butter, and oil and blend until the sugar and peanut butter are mixed in. (Or use warmed non dairy milk and mix everything in a bowl)
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and pulse for 2 to 3 seconds. Pulse twice to combine well into a smooth batter. Alternatively, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and pour the blended peanut butter-milk mixture into the bowl. Mix to make a smooth batter.
- Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Even out the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 21 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick from the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on the wire rack for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the glaze.
Make the chocolate peanut butter glaze.
- Combine the peanut butter, non dairy milk, and coconut oil and sugar if using, in a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir frequently until you have a smooth mixture. Switch off heat
- Add the chocolate to the warm mixture, and mix to combine until smooth. It will take a minute to mix in.
- Pour the glaze over the cake and spread using a spatula. Garnish with shaved chocolate or cocoa powder or coconut. Cool for 15 minutes, then slice and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- non-dairy milk – Adds moisture to both the peanut butter cake cake and the chocolate glaze. Choose soy-free, if needed.
- coconut sugar or cane sugar- Adds sweetness to the cake.
- maple syrup – For moisture and sweetness.
- vanilla extract – Adds flavor to the cake.
- smooth peanut butter – Adds flavor and texture to both the cake and glaze. You can use almond butter or cashew butter for a peanut-free version.
- oil – Conditions the cake batter. You also use a little coconut oil in the glaze, which helps it set. Use refined coconut oil, if you don’t want a coconut flavor.
- flour – all purpose flour, or use 3:1 all purpose and whole wheat/spelt(1.5 cups all purpose plus 0.5 cup whole grain flour). The base for the cake. For gluten-free, you can use a mix of 1 cup almond flour, ¾ cup oat flour and ⅓ cup potato starch instead. If you use this gluten-free blend, use 1 cup non dairy milk to make the wet mix. Add the flours and mix lightly. Then add ⅓ cup club soda and mix to make a smooth batter and bake immediately .
- baking powder, baking soda, and salt – To condition the cake batter.
- chocolate – To make the glaze, you are using a mix of semi-sweet chocolate chips and dark chocolate.
💡 Tips
- You can make this cake batter in the blender! After adding the flour, don’t run the blender, just pulse a few times until everything is mixed together.
- If you choose to skip the blender, use warm non-dairy milk when making the peanut butter cake batter. This will help the peanut butter incorporate.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cake
Preheat the oven to 350° F (180º C). Line or grease a brownie pan.
In a blender, add non dairy milk, sugar, maple, vanilla, peanut butter, and oil and blend until the sugar and peanut butter are mixed in.
Or use warmed non dairy milk and mix everything in a bowl. Bowl method is shown here.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the blender, and pulse for 2 to 3 seconds. Pulse twice to combine well into a smooth batter.
For the bowl method, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and pour the peanut butter-milk mixture into the bowl. Mix to make a smooth batter.
Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Even it out with a spatula.
Bake for 21 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick from the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on the wire rack for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the glaze.
Combine the peanut butter, non dairy milk, and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir frequently until you have a smooth mixture.
Add the chocolate to the warm mixture, and mix to combine until smooth. It will take a minute to mix in.
Pour the glaze over the cake and spread using a spatula. Garnish with shaved chocolate or cocoa powder or coconut. Cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is soy-free, as long as you use soy-free non-dairy milk and soy-free chocolate. For a peanut-free version, use cashew butter or almond butter instead of peanut butter.
To make this gluten-free, mix 1 cup almond flour, ¾ cup oat flour and ⅓ cup potato starch and use this mix. Use 1 cup non dairy milk to make the wet mix. Add the flours and mix lightly. Then add ⅓ cup club soda and mix to make a smooth batter and bake immediately.
While I do love natural peanut butter, it isn’t the best choice for recipes like this peanut butter cake. You want a very smooth peanut butter that doesn’t separate on the shelf.
Hi there this looks great! Do you have any measurement conversions if im turning this into a circular cake?? Thanks!
the same measurements if you’re using the 9″ round pans just check for doneness when a toothpick comes out clean
Hi Richa! Thanks for the recipe
I subbed white flour for atta. The cake came out a bit dense. Should I add less flour next time, or more milk?
Less flour as atta absorbs more moisture than all purpose
This cake is a favorite in my home. It’s hard to find desserts that are vegan and this easy. Plus the ingredients are staples in my pantry. I make many of your other recipes as well!! Thank you!
Awesome! Thank you for the kind review!! 🙂
Hey Richa,
What could I use instead of the coconut oil for the gaze?
I’m gonna try this recipe 🙂
The coconut oil is optional so you can just omit it.
Thanks soo much! And I would like to use dates instead of thethe coconut sugar, you think this would work ?
Hi
Do you add the flours to the blender or mix them into a bowl and add the liquid to it?
In a blender, add non dairy milk, sugar, maple, vanilla, nut butter and oil and blend until the sugar and nut butter are mixed in.
Then to the blender – Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pulse for 2 to 3 seconds, Pulse twice to combine well into a smooth batter. Alternatively, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and pour the blended nut butter milk mixture into the bowl. Mix to make a smooth batter.
Thank you for the recipe. It’s great!!! So yummy
So glad you enjoyed it!
Ive made this cake for my sisters birthday, and it came out fantastic! the cake itself is really homey with a soft flavor, and the smooth glaze adds a kick to it, blending into perfect harmony in your mouth.
few changes i made; for the glaze i used choca butter rather then coconut butter, used 1 tbsp of choco powder and 1 tbsp unsweetened choca powder, and one full bar of dark chocolate (and changed the maple syrup to vegan honey for the batter). a problem i encountered was that it took way longer to bake then 24 minutes, i kept checking every 10 minuets (three times) and its still wasn’t done, i was afraid im burning the rest just to get the middle baked but it came out A-okay!
I have problems with soy milk and coconut flavors so i usually don’t eat anything vegan i make for my sister, not even to test the taste while making the cake since no matter how good it will taste for others it will always tastes awful for me. but since i used almond milk and choca butter instead of coconut butter, i was actually able to enjoy the cake with everyone else! even my father who hates anything vegan loved this recipe!
I love this cake. Have made it so many times now. Super-easy recipe, just blend ingredients and pour in to pan. Makes a great emergency “I need cake in my life right now” cake!
I made this today for my birthday. I used all oat flour, and it came out good but I had to bake it for about 40 minutes. I used a Greek yogurt, cream cheese, and peanut butter frosting as well. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
I want to make this for my hubby but I need a low GI gluten free flour option. Which ones would you suggest? I have almond and coconut on hand and would prefer not to use an all purpose gluten free blend as there are lots of added ingredients and it’s usually high GI. Thank you.
Use a mix of 4:1:2 almond flour, coconut flour, starch(potato starch preferably). Use that