It’s National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month – Best Peanut Butter Cake EVER!

My dearly beloved Gram’s recent funeral was bittersweet. It’s hard to lose someone who has been the lone loving constant presence in your life. But it was good to see family again – some of whom I hadn’t seen in thirty years!

And the luncheon after the funeral featured a peanut butter cake TO DIE FOR! All of us desert fans circled around the table of cakes, pies and cookies and one cake stood out – a luscious-looking caramel colored cake. “Was it spice?” … “Do you think it’s a caramel cake?” “I hope that it’s peanut butter” I said.

I tasted it before I even delved into my lasagna. YES! It was peanut butter. And not just peanut butter, but the best peanut butter cake and frosting I have EVER had … light and delicate, yet richly peanut buttery!

My cousin Kim cajoled the recipe from cousin Bernadette. It’s no fancy schmancy Smitten Kitchen or Martha recipe – this is down home comfort food.

I present to you – Bernadette’s Peanut Butter Sheet Cake!

½ c. peanut butter
1 c. water
2 sticks butter
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
½ c. buttermilk

T o prepare cake, bring to a rapid boil: ½ c. peanut butter, 1 cup water, 2 sticks butter. Pour over 2 c. flour, 2 c. sugar, 1 tsp. baking soda. Mix and add: 2 eggs and ½ c. buttermilk. Pour onto greased sheet cake pan (large cookie pan). Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Frosting: Bring to a rapid boil: 1 stick butter, ½ c. peanut butter, 6 Tablespoons buttermilk. Add 2 tsp. vanilla and 4 c. powered sugar, stirring until smooth. Frost cake while frosting is hot.

When possible, I like to keep the frosted cake in the refrigerator until I’m ready to serve it. It makes the frosting set up so it’s just like eating fudge.