PB and J Cake With Black Currant (Printable)

Moist peanut butter cake with tangy black currant jam center and luscious sauce drizzle.

# What You Need:

→ Peanut Butter Cake

01 - 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
05 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 0.75 cup creamy peanut butter
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 0.5 cup whole milk

→ Black Currant Jam Center

11 - 0.5 cup black currant jam or preserves

→ Black Currant Sauce

12 - 1 cup fresh or frozen black currants
13 - 0.33 cup granulated sugar
14 - 2 tablespoons water
15 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and creamy peanut butter until smooth and creamy.
04 - Add sugar to the butter mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Incorporate eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the peanut butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined.
06 - Spread half the batter into the prepared pan. Spoon black currant jam evenly over the batter, leaving a 0.5-inch border at the edge. Gently spread remaining batter on top to cover the jam.
07 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Combine black currants, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened and syrupy. Stir in lemon juice and cool slightly.
09 - Serve cake slices drizzled with black currant sauce.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like a gourmet version of your favorite sandwich, which means it feels like comfort food wearing a fancy outfit.
  • The black currant sauce is tangy enough to cut through the richness, so you won't feel heavy after a slice.
  • It actually impresses people without requiring any special baking skills or obscure ingredients.
02 -
  • If your butter or peanut butter aren't soft enough, your batter will be lumpy and the texture will suffer, so give them five minutes on the counter before you start.
  • The black currant jam in the middle stays soft and jammy rather than baking into the cake, which is exactly what you want for that textural contrast.
  • Overbeating the batter after you add the flour turns this from tender to tough, so resist the urge to mix more than necessary once the dry ingredients go in.
03 -
  • Softening your butter for just five minutes on the counter makes creaming infinitely easier and gives you a lighter, fluffier final crumb.
  • The black currant sauce can be made ahead and reheated gently before serving, which means you can have this dessert ready with minimal fuss on entertaining day.
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