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Decadent Reeses Peanut Butter Halloween Layer Cake Recipe with Ganache Drip

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A rich and creamy Reese’s peanut butter layer cake with a smooth bittersweet chocolate ganache drip, perfect for Halloween celebrations and peanut butter chocolate lovers.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) hot brewed coffee
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (250g) creamy peanut butter
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2–4 tbsp (30-60ml) heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups (about 6–8 cups)
  • 1 ½ cups (270g) semisweet chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup (180ml) heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp light corn syrup (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  4. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined.
  5. Pour in hot brewed coffee and stir carefully; batter will be thin.
  6. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
  7. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  8. Beat softened butter and peanut butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
  9. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed to avoid dust, then add vanilla and 2 tbsp heavy cream; beat on high for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add more cream if needed.
  10. Fold chopped Reese’s cups gently into the frosting.
  11. Place one cake layer on serving plate and spread a ½ inch thick layer of peanut butter frosting on top.
  12. Add second cake layer and cover entire cake with a thin crumb coat of frosting; chill for 20 minutes.
  13. Apply a final smooth layer of frosting using an offset spatula.
  14. Heat heavy cream in a saucepan until simmering. Pour over chocolate chips and corn syrup in a bowl; let sit 2-3 minutes.
  15. Stir ganache gently until smooth and glossy; let cool slightly to thicken but remain pourable.
  16. Drip ganache over chilled cake edges using a spoon or squeeze bottle; pour remaining ganache on top and smooth lightly.
  17. Chill cake for at least 30 minutes to set ganache drip.

Notes

Use room temperature eggs and buttermilk for best results. Do not overmix batter to keep cake fluffy. Chill cake well before applying ganache drip for smooth, controlled drips. If ganache is too runny, refrigerate briefly; if too thick, warm gently. Fold chopped Reese’s cups gently to maintain frosting texture. Can substitute gluten-free flour and dairy-free alternatives as needed.

Nutrition

Keywords: Reese's peanut butter cake, Halloween cake, ganache drip, peanut butter frosting, chocolate cake, layered cake, festive dessert

Find it online: https://tempotaste.com/decadent-reeses-peanut-butter-halloween-layer-cake-recipe-with-ganache-drip-easy-steps/