Buckeye Cheesecake Cake

What's better than chocolate cake? Chocolate cake with peanut butter cheesecake in the middle smothered in peanut butter frosting, chocolate ganache, and Buckeye candies!

I love seeing what cakes my kids will choose for their birthday cakes. For Matthew's 12th birthday last year, he chose this Buckeye Cheesecake Cake. I was a little surprised because of the cheesecake part, but that's what he wanted and that's what I made. The chocolate cake was fabulous - one of my favorites I've made. The combination of the lovely chocolate cake with the peanut butter cheesecake and frosting was fantastic. I personally found Buckeye candies at our local Cracker Barrel - you can also make a batch and freeze extras. They are sometimes also called peanut butter balls.

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What you need:
For the cake:

• 2 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup hot milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 6 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup boiling water

For the cheesecake:

• 2 pkgs. (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

For the ganache:

• 3 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Buckeye candies for decoration (I found mine at Cracker Barrel)

Directions:

1. For the cake: Place chopped chocolate and cocoa powder into a medium bowl and pour hot milk over the top.
2. Whisk until smooth, then refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3. In a stand mixer, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Then add cooled chocolate mixture, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla and mix on medium until just combined.
5. Add boiling water carefully and mix on low, then increase speed to high for 1 minute. 
6. Evenly pour cake batter into two lightly sprayed and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
7. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. 
8. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on a wire rack completely. Trim the tops to even out to a flat surface.
9. For the cheesecake: Beat together cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and flour until light and creamy.
10. Add eggs, one at at time, beating until just combined.
11. Add milk and vanilla and mix until just combined.
12. Pour batter into a greased 9-inch springform pan.
13. Bake cheesecake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until center is almost set. You can do a water bath if you like.
14. Turn off oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Remove water bath if you use one.
15. Remove from oven and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.
16. For the frosting: Beat together butter, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
17. On low, add powdered sugar and beat until combined. Then add heavy cream.
18. Whip on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
19. Add more powdered sugar or heavy cream if needed to get the right consistency that you want.
20. To assemble: Place one of the chocolate cakes on a plate. Spread a layer of frosting on top and then add cheesecake carefully.
21. Spread another layer of frosting on top and then top with other chocolate cake. Frost the entire cake with frosting.
22. For the ganache: Place chocolate chips and peanut butter in a bowl.
23. Heat heavy cream in microwave for about 1 minute and then pour on top of ingredients in bowl.
24. Cover with cling wrap for 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth. Let thicken for a few minutes before pouring over the top of the cake.
25. Decorate with buckeye candies.

Recipe from The Spiffy Cookie

The last birthday cake I posted was the Italian Love Cake for my daughter's birthday in 2019 - it's wicked cool with switching layers while it bakes. If you are wanting to make your own Buckeye candies with a twist, these Cheesecake Buckeyes also from The Spiffy Cookie are the way to go.