Chocolate-Peanut Butter Sheet Cake: Guest Post by Judy Clemens

My mystery and chocolate worlds collide again. Today I welcome back Judy Clemens aka JC Lane. J.C. Lane is the author of the thriller Tag, You’re Dead. Judy also writes mysteries as Judy Clemens, including the Stella Crown series and the Grim Reaper mysteries. 

JUDY CLEMENS:
CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER SHEET CAKE

Chocolate and peanut butter are a popular combination in my family, whether it’s chocolate ice cream with peanut butter cup pieces, chocolate cookies with peanut butter in the middle, or a chocolate peanut butter banana milkshake we’ve been making since the kids were little. I cut this recipe out of a magazine years ago and re-discovered it while doing some kitchen renovations this year. The cake tastes as amazing as it looks – moist and dense – and the frosting is heavenly. The chopped-up crunchiness of the peanuts tops it all off.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

Ingredients

Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup baking cocoa
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla

Frosting
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tesp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 baking pan.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
In a small bowl, combine water, butter, peanut butter, and cocoa; bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. (I heated mine in the microwave. You could heat it on the stove if you prefer.) Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until blended; add to flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Transfer to prepared pan.
Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Prepare frosting while cake is baking.
In a large bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add more milk, if necessary, to get it to spreading consistency.

Remove cake from oven; place on a wire rack. Immediately spread with frosting and sprinkle with peanuts. Enjoy!

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CAKE: Guest recipe by Judy Clemens

I love when my mystery and chocolate worlds collide. Today I welcome Judy Clemens-Smucker aka JC Lane aka Judy Clemens. J.C. Lane is the author of the thriller Tag, You’re Dead. She also writes mysteries as Judy Clemens, including the Stella Crown series and the Grim Reaper mysteries. 

JUDY CLEMENS:

I am a big believer that chocolate makes people happy. It doesn’t matter the form – candy, hot cocoa, cookies, fudge -- but most of all I love a good chocolate cake…as long as it’s made from scratch. The texture, flavor, and overall taste cannot be rivaled by a boxed mix. But do not despair if you are an amateur baker, or HAVE NEVER MADE A CAKE FROM SCRATCH, you will still find this recipe do-able! There aren’t that many more steps than a boxed cake. You don’t even need an extra bowl or a mixer! Once you try this recipe, you’ll realize how fun, easy, and delicious it is to use your own ingredients and have something warm and yummy within an hour. This recipe is great for a last-minute goody to take to a potluck, give to a friend, or just devour when you need something sweet. It’s good with ice cream, a cold glass of milk, or plain and straight from the oven. So if you want to try something new, give it a whirl! I think you’ll be very satisfied with the results.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CAKE 

Ingredients
1 2/3 cup flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c water
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, brown sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt with fork in ungreased 8- or 9-inch square pan. (I also find a pastry cutter works well.) Mix in remaining ingredients except chocolate chips. Sprinkle chocolate chips over batter.

Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes (I found that 37 minutes is perfect in my oven.)

For fun, use different flavored chips on the top, such as peanut butter, mint, or various varieties of chocolate.

This recipe can also be doubled – just put in a 9x13 (or larger) dish.

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Photo: A double recipe of the cake in a recyclable aluminum pan--on its way to a sick friend and family.