Mini Peanut Butter Tandy Kake with Dark Chocolate
Baked in a 6-inch cake pan, this mini tandy kake gives you a soft, fluffy single-layer cake…
- Prep
- 20 mins
- Cook
- 36 mins
- Total
- 56 mins
- Makes
- 6 servings
Baked in a 6-inch cake pan, this small chocolate peanut butter tandy kake is a soft, fluffy single-layer cake with a layer of peanut butter, all covered in rich, melted dark chocolate. It is incredibly easy to make and a treat for any time of year!
Reasons to Love It
- This is a petite version of my Irresistible Peanut Butter Tandy Kake recipe.
- No mixer required! You can even make it in just one bowl if you like!
- 3 layers of goodness: soft, fluffy cake, a layer of creamy peanut butter, and a topping of melted dark chocolate.
- You can make this in a 6-inch round cake pan or a 1/8 sheet pan.
- A great dessert for anyone who loves chocolate and peanut butter, or who grew up enjoying the classic Tasty Kakes brand!
- No frosting needed!
- It stores easily in a food container (like the 13-cup Gladware container) in the fridge for up to a week!
What I love most about this single-layer cake, besides the taste and how simple it is to make, is that it looks like an oversized peanut butter kandy kake! Wouldn’t you agree?
Enjoy!
What You’ll Need
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil
- One egg, at room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Whole milk
- Creamy peanut butter (a no-stir style is best)
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips or a dark chocolate bar
- Coconut oil (optional), melted together with the chocolate
Making It Step by Step
Start with the cake. Whisk the dry ingredients together in one bowl and set them aside. In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients. Add the dry mixture to the wet, then whisk until just combined.
The batter should be smooth and fairly thin and runny. Bake it in a 6″ x 3″ or 6″ x 2″ cake pan, or make the bar-style version in a 1/8 size sheet pan.
Bake at 350ºF for 33-36 minutes in a 6-inch round cake pan, or 25-28 minutes in a 1/8 sheet pan. Let the cake cool.
Spread on the Peanut Butter Layer. Ideally the cake is fully cooled, but spreading the peanut butter while it is still slightly warm can help. An offset spatula makes it go on smoothly.
Melt the Chocolate. I heated the chocolate bar in a small microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute at 50% power, stirring a little between rounds, until it was smooth and melted.
Coat the Cake. This is one of my favorite parts, though it can get messy. Set a wire cooling rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet so any chocolate that drips off lands there instead of pooling around the cake.
Pour the chocolate over the top, then use an offset spatula to guide it over the edges and down the sides. Nothing beats glossy, melted chocolate!
Let it sit at room temperature until the chocolate sets, then carefully move it to a small cake plate, dinner plate, or similar, and refrigerate until the chocolate hardens. Then dig in!
Common Questions
What size baking pan can I use to make this peanut butter kandy kake?You can bake this in a 6-inch x 3-inch or 6-inch x 2-inch cake pan, or in a 1/8 size sheet pan.
Do I need to use a cake baking strip for this recipe?No, not for this recipe. I skipped it because I wanted a domed top, like the smaller versions have. If a flat top matters less to you, then a mixer is perfectly fine to use.
Should I let the cake cool completely before adding the peanut butter layer?I recommend cooling it completely, but a slightly warm cake is fine. The warmth may also help the peanut butter spread.
Should I use chocolate chips or a bar of chocolate?Either works! For the full-size Chocolate Peanut Butter Tandy Kakes I used chocolate chips, but for this version I used a Lindt 70% chocolate bar.
What is the recommended baking time and temperature if I’m using a 1/8 sheet pan?350ºF for 26-28 minutes.
Can I make this in advance?Yes! I suggest making only the cake ahead of time, then adding the peanut butter and chocolate an hour or two before serving. To freeze the cake, let it cool fully, double-wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in a freezer bag, where it keeps for up to a month.
Do I keep this stored in the refrigerator?Yes, ideally in a tightly sealed food container, or covered with plastic wrap on a plate.
What baking tool can I use to transfer the cake to a cake stand or dinner plate for serving?The easiest way to lift a cake layer is with a cake lifter. A flat spatula or turner works too.
If you make this small chocolate peanut butter tandy kake or any other recipe on my website, please give it a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!
Mini Peanut Butter Tandy Kake with Dark Chocolate
Baked in a 6-inch cake pan, this mini tandy kake is a soft, fluffy yellow sponge topped with peanut butter and a coat of rich, melted dark chocolate. It is incredibly easy to make and a treat to enjoy all year round!
- Prep
- 20 mins
- Cook
- 36 mins
- Total
- 56 mins
- Makes
- 6 servings
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 6 tbsp Whole Milk
- 1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter, no-stir (preferred)
- 3.5 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, (or bar of dark chocolate) melted
- 1/2 tbsp Coconut Oil, optional add on to melt with the chocolate chips
Method
- Set an oven rack to the 2nd level mark, just above center, and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 6 inch round cake pan (6 x 3 or 6 x 2) generously with flour-based baking spray. Line the base with a parchment circle and spray the top of it lightly as well.
- In a small bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla extract, and whole milk.
- Add the dry mixture and whisk until just combined. The batter should be smooth and somewhat thin and runny.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 33-36 minutes at 350ºF, until a toothpick comes out clean. A few crumbs on it are fine, but it should not have any wet batter.
- Cool it in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully flip it onto a wire rack to finish cooling. It should be completely cool before the peanut butter goes on. I also suggest leaving the cake on the rack while you add the peanut butter and chocolate layers.
- Use an offset spatula to spread the peanut butter over the top and sides of the cake.
- Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl, 1 minute at 50% power at a time, until fully melted and smooth.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter-covered cake, then use an offset spatula to spread it over any bare spots on the sides. For the best results, set the wire rack on a parchment-lined baking sheet to catch any drips.
- Leave the cake at room temperature until the chocolate has set and no longer looks shiny. Then refrigerate it for 30-45 minutes so the chocolate hardens.
- Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator in a sealed container or on a plate covered with plastic wrap. It keeps for up to 5 days.
Baker’s notes
- For a 1/8 sheet pan, bake 26-28 minutes at 350ºF. Coat the pan with flour-based baking spray before adding the batter.
- For neat slices, run a sharp knife under hot water first.
- Slide a cake lifter or flat spatula under the cake to move it from the wire rack to a cake plate or dinner plate.
