This Vegan Peanut Butter Cake is moist, fluffy, & topped with the best 5 ingredient peanut butter frosting. If you have been searching for a truly delicious eggless & dairy-free peanut butter cake bursting with a rich, nutty flavor, look no further than this recipe.
This peanut butter cake has been a highly requested recipe, and it finally made it into our snacking cake series! So far we've made a vegan vanilla cake, a banana cookie butter cake, and even a banana chocolate chip cake.
This old-fashioned peanut butter cake is bound to be a new classic. It's so moist, rich, and perfectly packed with peanut butter flavor. Let's just say, if you loved my vegan peanut butter cookies, this nutter butter cake is a must-make!
Cake & frosting ingredients:
Ingredient & substitution notes:
- Peanut butter: Must be creamy unsalted peanut butter to work in this recipe. I used Teddie All Natural creamy peanut butter.
- Pastry flour: Works best in this recipe because of its lower protein content which leads to a super tender peanut butter cake.
- To substitute for all-purpose flour swap 2 Tablespoons of flour for 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch. This equals 1 ¼ cups+ 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1 Tablespoon cornstarch in the batter.
- Oil: I used olive oil and prefer it for this cake, but it can be swapped out for any neutral oil.
- Coconut cream: This is my *secret ingredient* to the fluffiest peanut butter frosting so don't skip it if you can. Coconut cream is the thick white part at the top of canned coconut milk and acts almost like a heavy cream in the frosting.
- If you don't have it, you can omit it or substitute it for 2 Tablespoons of plant-based whipping cream.
How to make peanut butter snack cake
Make the peanut cake batter
First, add the oat milk and apple cider vinegar to the bowl to form the vegan buttermilk. Let sit for about 3 minutes to curdle.
Then, add in the sugar, creamy unsalted peanut butter, oil, and vanilla and whisk together until smooth.
Finally, add in the dry ingredients starting with the pastry flour and then piling the baking powder, baking soda, and salt on top. Whisk together into a thick, yet smooth, batter.
Bake the cake
Add the dairy-free peanut butter cake batter to a well-greased or parchment-lined 8 by 8 inch square pan. The batter is a bit thick, so you'll need to use a spatula to spread it out evenly in the cake pan.
Then, add to the oven to bake for about 32 minutes!
How to make vegan peanut butter frosting
First, whip the vegan butter. This helps get out any clumps and makes it fluffy.
Then, add in the peanut butter, coconut cream, and vanilla. Whip with the butter for another 2 minutes until creamy.
As a final step, gradually add in the powdered sugar and whip until fluffy. To truly get a truly creamy & fluffy peanut butter frosting, continue whipping for a few minutes after the powdered sugar is mixed in.
Once the vegan peanut cake has cooled, use a cake spatula to cover it with swoops of peanut butter frosting. Then, top with optional roasted peanuts, slice, & serve!
FAQ & Tips:
Can I make this peanut butter cake gluten-free?
I have never tried it, but it should work. You'll need to use a gluten-free 1:1 baking mix like this one from King Arthur.
Unfortunately, flour alternatives like coconut flour or almond flour will NOT work in this recipe as it's not a 1:1 substitution.
Can I bake this snacking cake in a different pan?
You can bake this cake in a circular 9-inch pan for similar results.
This recipe can also be doubled and baked in a 9 by 13-inch pan if you want to make more cake. Please keep in mind, baking time may vary slightly in a different pan so I recommend checking on your cake at the 25-minute mark.
How do I store vegan peanut butter cake?
If unfrosted, the cooled peanut cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap or tin foil and stored at room temperature for 24 hours.
If frosted, you can cover the cake and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
You can also slice it and store it in a closed container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Just defrost at room temperature for about 1 hour before enjoying!
I truly can't wait for you to try this moist & fluffy Vegan Peanut Butter Cake with fluffy peanut butter frosting! With its rich peanut butter flavor and moist, fluffy texture, it's sure to become a new favorite. Enjoy!
-TSG
More vegan cake recipes you will love:
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Vegan Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Cake
- ⅔ cup plant-based milk I used oat milk
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup creamy unsalted peanut butter
- ⅓ cup olive oil or any neutral oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups pastry flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Peanut Butter Frosting:
- ½ cup vegan butter
- ¼ cup creamy unsalted peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons coconut cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1-1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- roasted peanuts optional, as topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8*8 inch square pan with parchment paper or grease the pan lightly. Set aside for later.
Make the peanut butter cake batter:
- Add the plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar to a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Let sit for 2-3 minutes to curdle.
- Next, add the sugar, creamy peanut butter, oil, and vanilla to the bowl and whisk together. Then, add in the dry ingredients starting with the pastry flour and then adding the baking powder, salt, and baking soda on top.
- Mix into a thick batter. I recommend starting with a whisk and then switching to a spatula so the batter does not get overmixed.
Bake the cake:
- Pour the batter into the pan and add to the oven. Bake for 30-32 minutes or until cooked through.
- Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then carefully move to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before frosting.
Make the peanut butter frosting:
- Once the cake has cooled completely, make the frosting. Start by adding the butter to a bowl and using a standing mixer or electric mixer to whip for a minute or two until fluffy.
- Next, add the creamy peanut butter, coconut cream, and vanilla bean paste to the mixing bowl. Whip with the butter for another 1-2 minutes until smooth.
- Gradually whip in the powdered sugar until incorporated. Once all the powdered sugar has been mixed in, I recommend whipping the frosting for a few minutes longer to make it extra fluffy!
- Use a cookie scoop to add the peanut butter frosting to the cake and then spread it out with a cake spatula. Top the cake with optional roasted peanuts.
- Then, slice into 9 evenly-sized pieces, serve, & enjoy!
Notes
- Please see the blog post for substitution ideas & recipe tips
- You can bake this cake in a circular 9-inch pan for similar results.
- This recipe can also be doubled and baked in a 9 by 13-inch pan if you want to make more cake. Please keep in mind, baking time may vary slightly in a different pan so I recommend checking on your cake at the 25-minute mark.
- If unfrosted, the cooled peanut cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap or tin foil and stored at room temperature for 24 hours.
- If frosted, you can cover the cake and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- You can also slice it and store it in a closed container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Just defrost at room temperature for about 1 hour before enjoying
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