This Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake also has salted caramel, toffee bits, and TONS of heavenly flavor.
Similar flavors can be found in this No-Bake Turtle Pie Recipe if you don’t feel like turning on the oven!
A Delicious Chocolate Cake
You know, I don’t know if I can just have a plain chocolate cake anymore. The extras made this over the top for me! Now, don’t get me wrong… this depression cake is a game-changer for a regular chocolate cake recipe, and this lazy cake is a great option for when you don’t feel like baking!
It only lasted (and keep in mind how huge this thing is) 12 hours. With giving only a quarter of it to our neighbors and a couple of slices to our babysitter… we took care of the rest. It was incredible and will now be a favorite in our house for sure!
This Milky Way Cake Recipe and these mini chocolate cakes are other recipes to keep in mind when that chocolate craving hits!
How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
When I make a cake like this, I LOVE using my two, 10-inch cake pans. They make a large cake when using 2 boxes of cake mix, and there’s something about seeing a large round cake on a cake stand – it’s just so beautiful.
Bake the chocolate cakes, according to the box directions.
While the cakes are cooling, it’s a great time to mix up the frosting, and chill it in the fridge if you like.
If you’re not a fan of cream cheese in the frosting, you can make this peanut butter icing recipe that goes on peanut butter cake.
Peanut Butter Frosting with Cream Cheese
After spreading the frosting on the bottom cake, top it with the other and spread that frosting on the top as thick as you like. (Don’t go too crazy with the frosting for the middle part. The frosting can be a bit “slippery,” and we don’t want this precious thing slipping in to the floor.)
Toffee Bits
The toffee pieces are my kryptonite. Sprinkle the remaining half on the top and press on to the sides of the cake, to cover the middle layer of frosting.
Salted Caramel
Yep. It just drizzles on so heavenly like that. I bought the Smucker’s salted caramel ice cream topping, but any will do!
P.S. If you love caramel, you’ll love these caramel cupcakes with caramel buttercream frosting!
That caramel and how it drips down the chocolate cake makes us swoon! Much like these delicious turtle cookies that are easy to make!
More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
Originally published: February 2017
Updated and republished: May 2025
Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
- 2 boxes devils food cake mix mixed according to box directions.
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
- 1 stick butter room temperature
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 2 cups divided of chocolate covered toffee pieces. (I used Heath toffee bits.)
- salted caramel ice cream topping for drizzle
Instructions
- Mix cake mix according to package directions. (The mix I used required water, eggs, and vegetable oil.)
- Split batter between 2 greased, 10-in. cake pans.
- Bake according to package directions.
- While allowing the cake to cook, mix together the cream cheese, butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk in a separate bowl.
- Mix in one cup of toffee bits into the mixture.
- (Chill for 10-15 minutes if desired, to create a firmer texture for spreading)
- Frost one cake with the peanut butter cream cheese mixture.
- Stack other cake on top, and frost the top with the mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining toffee bits on to the top of the cake, and into the middle sides of the cake if desired.
- Drizzle caramel topping as desired.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Kim E Goppert says
I’m going to make this for Christmas eve and was wondering how far in advance I can make it. I’m thinking that maybe only bake the cakes the day before??
Jessica says
Hi Kim! I’ve never made this ahead of time but I don’t see why you couldn’t make the cakes ahead of time… as long as they don’t dry out! 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
Dominique says
Hi There, not sure if you know but 1 of the ads on your page keeps running over the ingredients list
Jessica says
Thank you for letting me know! I can’t replicate that happening, so I’ll keep an eye on it! But I appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
Kathy says
Want to make for my daughter’s birthday. Does it use 2 boxes of cake mix?
Jessica says
Hi Kathy, yes we used 2 boxes of cake mix! I hope you love it as much as we did!
Mari says
Hi! Is there something we can use other than cream cheese for the topping? Thank you!
Jessica says
Hi Mari! Although I’ve never used anything other than cream cheese, you may be able to try a store bought frosting? I’m sure that would taste pretty good! 🙂 I hope that helps!
Mari says
Thanks! I thought that, too, but wondered if it would be way too sweet- maybe take out the powdered sugar?? My family are not cream-cheese lovers… 😊
Jessica says
Oooh, that’s a really good thought! Yes, I’d take out the powdered sugar if you try that! I have a few non-cream cheese fans in my extended family, so I know exactly how that is! 🙂 I hope it turns out great!!!
Miriam Warner says
This looks AMAZING! Hits all of my granddaughter’s favorites in one cake. Fabulous. I’m confused though…does both the peanut butter AND the butter go into the frosting? Both are listed in the ingredients but then the p-butter disappears. Did you mean butter(s) plural in the frosting mixology? Thanks. Can’t wait to make this.
Jessica says
Hi Miriam! I’m so glad that you asked! YES! The peanut butter goes in to the frosting as well as the butter! So sorry about that. I’ve updated the recipe! I hope your granddaughter enjoys it!