PB and J Cake With Black Currant

My neighbor brought over a jar of homemade black currant jam one autumn, insisting I needed to do something with it besides toast. I stared at that deep purple preserve for days, turning it over in my hands like a puzzle, until it hit me: what if I took the childhood simplicity of peanut butter and jelly and made it fancy? The result was this cake, which somehow feels both nostalgic and sophisticated at the same time.

I made this for a dinner party once, nervous because I'd only tested it once before, and a friend took one bite, closed her eyes, and said nothing for a moment. That silence was better than any compliment because it meant the flavors had actually transported her somewhere. She asked for the recipe that night, and I've made it maybe a dozen times since just because of the joy I saw on her face.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups): The foundation of your cake, and sifting it with the baking powder and soda ensures even distribution of leavening so you get that perfect tender crumb.
• Baking powder and baking soda (1 tsp and 1/2 tsp): These two work together to create lift without making the cake taste metallic, which I learned the hard way by overshooting the baking soda once.
• Salt (1/4 tsp): Just a whisper of it to make the peanut butter flavor sing louder than it would alone.
• Unsalted butter (1/2 cup): Softened butter creams better with the peanut butter and sugar, creating that light, fluffy base that makes the whole cake tender.
• Creamy peanut butter (3/4 cup): Use a good quality one without added sugars if you can find it, because it has a deeper flavor that stands up beautifully against the tartness of black currant.
• Granulated sugar (1 cup): Beaten with the butter until pale and fluffy, this incorporates tiny air bubbles that give the cake its delicate texture.
• Eggs (2 large): Room temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly and create a richer crumb than cold ones straight from the fridge.
• Vanilla extract (1 tsp): A small but essential detail that rounds out all the flavors and keeps the cake from tasting one-dimensional.
• Whole milk (1/2 cup): It loosens the thick peanut butter batter to the right consistency for even baking, and contributes a subtle richness.
• Black currant jam (1/2 cup): The jammy heart of this cake, and you can absolutely swap it for raspberry or blackberry if that's what you have on hand.
• Fresh or frozen black currants (1 cup): For the sauce, these have a tart, almost wine like quality that balances the sweetness of the cake perfectly.
• Granulated sugar for sauce (1/3 cup): Just enough to sweeten the black currants without burying their distinctive flavor.
• Water (2 tbsp): This helps the currants release their juice and creates that luscious sauce consistency.
• Lemon juice (1 tsp): A tiny squeeze that brightens the sauce and prevents it from feeling cloying.

Instructions

Quickly slice, dice, grate, and spiralize vegetables for salads, stir fries, and faster everyday meal prep.

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Heat your oven and prep:

Preheat to 350°F and grease an 8-inch round pan, then line the bottom with parchment so your cake releases cleanly. This step takes two minutes but saves you from frustration later.

Combine your dry ingredients:

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set it aside. The whisking aerates the flour and distributes the leavening evenly throughout.

Cream butter and peanut butter:

Beat them together until smooth and creamy, which usually takes about a minute if your butter is properly softened. If it's still cold and hard, you'll spend five minutes wrestling with it.

Build the fluffy base:

Add sugar to the creamed mixture and beat for another minute or two until it becomes pale and light, which means you've incorporated air. Stop scraping down the sides with your spatula every few seconds or you'll deflate all that good aeration.

Add eggs carefully:

Add one egg, beat well, then add the second, beating again. If you dump both in at once and don't beat well, you'll end up with pockets of unincorporated egg white in your finished cake.

Mix in vanilla:

Just a quick stir to distribute it evenly through the wet mixture.

Alternate flour and milk:

Add about a third of the flour mixture, stir until just combined, then add half the milk, stir, then more flour, then the rest of the milk, then the final flour portion. Each time, mix only until you don't see any white streaks, because overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough.

Layer in the jam:

Spread half the batter into your prepared pan, then spoon the jam evenly over it leaving a half-inch border so it doesn't touch the sides of the pan. Gently spread the remaining batter over the top to seal the jam inside.

Bake until golden:

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Every oven runs differently, so start checking at 30 minutes.

Cool it down:

Let the cake sit in the pan for 10 minutes to firm up a bit, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool all the way through. Trying to frost or sauce a warm cake is a losing battle.

Make the sauce:

Combine black currants, sugar, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until it thickens into a syrup. Stir in lemon juice and let it cool slightly so it's pourable but still warm.

Serve with flair:

Slice the cake and drizzle each piece with the black currant sauce, letting it pool around the plate for a restaurant-quality presentation.

Save

What I love most about this cake is that it bridges two worlds: it's fancy enough to serve at a dinner party, but approachable enough that someone could make it on a Tuesday afternoon in their regular kitchen. It became the cake I reached for whenever I wanted to show someone I cared but didn't have all day to bake.

The Black Currant Flavor Story

Black currants have a tartness that's almost floral, completely different from blackberries or raspberries, which is why they transform this cake into something special. The first time I bit into a black currant at a farmers market, I thought it was a little too intense on its own, but once I paired it with the rich peanut butter, something magical happened. That balance is what makes this cake worth making instead of just doing a standard jam cake.

When the Seasons Change

This dessert has a quality that works year-round, though I find myself making it most often when the weather turns cool and I'm craving something with depth. In summer, I serve it chilled right out of the fridge, and the cold brings out the brightness of the black currant sauce even more. It's the kind of cake that tastes different depending on what's happening outside your window, which keeps it from ever feeling stale or tired.

Making It Your Own

The beauty of this cake is that it's forgiving enough to adapt while remaining true to itself, so don't hesitate to experiment a little once you've made it once the traditional way. Some people brush a light simple syrup between the layers for extra moisture, or swap the black currant jam for raspberry or blackberry if that's what they prefer. Just remember that the core idea is balancing peanut butter richness with fruit tartness, so as long as you keep that equation in mind, you'll end up with something delicious.

• If you can't find black currant jam, raspberries or blackberries work beautifully and give a slightly different flavor profile.
• Serving this with cold milk or a fruity dessert wine makes the whole experience feel more special than it has any right to.
• Store leftover cake covered at room temperature for a day or two, and the flavors actually meld and deepen, so it's sometimes better the next day.

Mix doughs, batters, and whipped cream easily for baking cakes, cookies, and everyday treats.

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Save

This cake has quietly become one of my favorites to make for people I care about, because it says something without being overly complicated. There's real joy in a slice of this with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and knowing that you made it yourself makes it taste even better.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I use a different jam flavor?

Yes, raspberry or blackberry jam work beautifully as substitutes for black currant jam if preferred.

→ How should I store this cake?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate if keeping longer, but bring to room temperature before serving.

→ Can I make this cake ahead of time?

The cake layers can be baked a day in advance. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature. Add the fresh sauce just before serving.

→ What pairs well with this dessert?

Cold milk or a fruity dessert wine complement the flavors beautifully. A scoop of vanilla ice cream also works wonderfully.

→ Is the black currant sauce necessary?

While the cake is delicious on its own, the black currant sauce adds an extra layer of flavor and creates a stunning presentation.