Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

Sheet cakes take me back to my childhood. Cupcakes hadn't come into vogue, I think life was more practical. Mom always had homemade goods, fresh bread, cookies and often a 9x13 cake. Favorite flavors were Grandmas Double Lemon Cake, the ever practical Boiled Raisin Cake and Chocolate Cake with Beautiful Frosting. Family reunions always featured several cakes, all in the pan--you just served yourself. No fancy platters or serving dishes. At the end of the day everyone took home a dirty pan. Simple.

I needed a quick dessert last week and turned to my Pinterest boards. I had pinned a Peanut Butter Sheet Cake. We love peanut butter, this looked like the perfect dessert. The cake is frosted while it is still warm--a plus when time is short. This cake was a crowd pleaser. I will add it to my 'make again soon' list.

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup water

1 cup butter

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 eggs beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup cream--or milk

16 ounces powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl whisk together the flour sugar, salt and baking soda. In a medium saucepan heat water, butter and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and remove from heat; add the dry ingredients. In a small bowl beat eggs, vanilla and buttermilk; add to ingredient in saucepan. Pour mixture in a 10X15 inch jelly roll pan that has been sprayed with Pam for Baking. Bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes until done.

While cake is baking make frosting. In the same saucepan heat butter, cream and peanut butter to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat to desired consistency. Pour/spread frosting over warm cake. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts (we used 4 packages of the peanuts that come with the chocolate sundaes from McDonald's). The cake was a hit. We served it with ice cream for dessert. We ate it plain for breakfast.

Thanks The Wednesday Baker for a great recipe!