This decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cake is every bit as delicious as it sounds. Moist, tender chocolate cake layers surround a creamy peanut butter cheesecake for an impressive dessert perfect for special occasions.
Over the years we’ve made several cheesecake-style layer cakes—like Lemon Cheesecake Cake, Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake, and Strawberry Cheesecake Cake. These hybrids are unique, taste amazing, and feel a bit more special than an ordinary layer cake.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cake
The full printable recipe appears below; here’s an overview of the steps and what to expect.
Cheesecake Layer
- Prepare the peanut butter cheesecake batter first. The filling is simple to make but needs ample time to chill and firm up before assembly.
- Water bath alternative: Instead of wrapping a springform in foil, place a 9×13 or roasting pan with about an inch of water on a lower oven rack and preheat the oven to 300°F. This creates a moist baking environment and promotes even baking.
- Bake the cheesecake: Pour the batter into a parchment-lined 9-inch springform pan and place it on the rack directly above the water pan. At 300°F it will take about 40–45 minutes to set.
- After baking, turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool inside with the door cracked for 20 minutes to reduce the chance of cracks. If it does crack, don’t worry—filling and frosting will hide it.
Cake, Frosting, Glaze
- While the cheesecake chills, prepare the chocolate cake layers, a simple ganache glaze, and the peanut butter buttercream.
- The cheesecake fits a 9-inch pan, so we baked the chocolate layers in 9-inch pans as well for matching diameter.
- Turn the warm cake layers out of the pans after 8–10 minutes and let them cool completely before assembling. For convenience, you can place layers on cardboard circles, wrap them, and freeze until assembly time.
- Chocolate glaze: Make a simple ganache from chocolate and cream. Use it between layers and for decoration to add richness.
- Peanut butter buttercream: This frosting combines creamy peanut butter and butter to yield a spreadable, flavorful buttercream. Use a thin layer between cake layers and to frost the outside.
Assembling the Cake
To assemble the cake, place a cooled chocolate layer on your cake plate and spread a thin layer of peanut butter buttercream.
Drizzle a small amount of ganache over that frosted layer using a piping bag or spoon. Top with the chilled peanut butter cheesecake (peel away the parchment first if you haven’t already).
Spread a thin layer of frosting over the cheesecake, add another light ganache drizzle if desired, and place the second chocolate cake layer on top. Finish by frosting the top and sides of the cake.
Decorate as you wish. We added a ganache drizzle, piped a shell border, and topped with sliced Reese’s Cups. The result slices beautifully and tastes incredible.
More Peanut Butter Cakes
If you enjoy peanut butter and chocolate together, here are a few other recipes we’ve made and love: Peanut Butter Chocolate Marble Cake, Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting, a simple Peanut Butter Cake (cake mix base), and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Marble Cake (Doctored Cake Mix)
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Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
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Peanut Butter Cake (cake mix recipe)
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you try it, please leave a comment and share a photo—feedback is always appreciated!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cake
This decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cake is moist and full of flavor.
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake Layer
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature (two 8 oz bricks)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (128 g) — avoid natural or reduced-fat varieties
- 1 cup sugar (200 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (23 g)
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup chopped Reese’s Cups (optional)
For the Chocolate Cake Layers
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (170 g)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (68 g)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400 g)
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (325 g)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (62 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda (10 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (2 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (2 g)
- 1 cup sour cream (242 g)
- 1 cup milk (220 g)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (4 g)
- 3/4 cup very hot coffee (instant espresso stirred into hot water)
Chocolate Glaze
- 3 oz heavy cream
- 4 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (255 g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 g), room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar (460 g)
- 1/4 cup milk + 2 tablespoons (use more if needed)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Layer
- Place a 9×13 pan with 1 inch of water on a lower rack in the oven beneath where the cheesecake will bake. Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment.
- Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add peanut butter and blend. Mix in sugar, salt, and flour on low speed.
- Add sour cream and milk, then the eggs one at a time until combined. Fold in chopped Reese’s Cups if using.
- Pour batter into the prepared springform and place it on the rack above the water pan. Bake 40–45 minutes until mostly set (may still jiggle slightly).
- Turn off oven and leave cheesecake inside with the door slightly open for 20 minutes. Cool on the counter, then cover and chill in the freezer 2–3 hours or refrigerate 5–6 hours or overnight.
Chocolate Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch pans and line bottoms with parchment if desired.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream butter, add oil and vanilla, then sugar; beat 4–5 minutes until light. Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl as needed.
- On low speed, alternately add dry mixture with sour cream and milk, finishing when almost fully combined.
- Stir in very hot coffee until incorporated. Divide batter between pans and bake 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in pans 8–10 minutes, then turn out to finish cooling completely.
Glaze
- Combine chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in short bursts, stirring until nearly melted. Let rest briefly, stir to smooth, and cool to desired consistency for drips or drizzles.
Buttercream
- Cream butter until smooth. Add peanut butter and blend. Gradually add powdered sugar alternating with milk, add vanilla, and beat 4–5 minutes until smooth.
Assembling the Cake
- Place the first cooled cake layer on a cake plate and spread a thin layer of peanut butter buttercream. Optionally drizzle a little ganache.
- Release the cheesecake from the springform by running a thin knife around the edge. Place the cheesecake upside down onto the first cake layer, remove the springform bottom, and peel away parchment.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting on the cheesecake, add a light ganache drizzle if desired, then top with the second cake layer. Trim any excess cheesecake if it is wider than the cake layers.
- Crumb-coat the cake with a thin frosting layer and chill 10 minutes, then apply the final coat of frosting. Add ganache drizzle and decorate with Reese’s slices, piped borders, or your preferred design.
- Refrigerate the finished cake before serving.
Notes
Springform pan alternative: Line a 9-inch cake pan with foil extending up the sides, add a parchment circle on top of the foil, bake the cheesecake, then freeze it in the pan until firm. Lift it out using the foil, peel away the foil and parchment, and flip it onto the frosted cake layer when assembling.
Chocolate design: To create the chocolate spiral pattern on top, pipe a spiral from the center outward, then drag a toothpick from the center toward the edge in evenly spaced intervals. Alternate drag directions as desired to vary the pattern.