PB and J Cake Black Currant (Printable Page)

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

# What You'll 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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and creamy peanut butter together until smooth and creamy.
04 - Add granulated sugar to the butter mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Add 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 cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
08 - In a small saucepan, combine black currants, sugar, and water. 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 Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and playful without requiring any fancy techniques or temperamental ingredients.
  • The contrast between nutty, creamy cake and tart berry sauce feels like a flavor conversation that keeps surprising you.
02 -
  • The jam layer is a surprise that only works if you spread it carefully and don't let it touch the edges, or it seeps out and burns and tastes slightly bitter.
  • Overbeating the final batter is how good peanut butter cake becomes dense and tight, so listen for the moment everything just combines and stop there.
03 -
  • If black currant jam is impossible to find, raspberry or blackberry works, though it won't taste exactly the same because nothing tastes like that specific tart you're chasing.
  • Brush the cake layers with a little simple syrup before assembly if you want extra moisture and something that tastes just slightly more refined than plain cake.
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