The Reese's Peanut Butter Cup is the number one most popular candy in America. This delicious marriage of chocolate and peanut butter is also the number one favorite of this blog's followers.
(To see the results of the poll you took last week, click here.)
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To see the results of last week's Top 10 Candies Poll, click here. |

Happy 50th Anniversary, ceblain! I would love to send you the Reese's Mug as an anniversary gift from me and my husband, Marc. We have a long way to go for 50 years, but we certainly hope we'll make it, too! Contact me via my public mail box and I'll get your address to send you the mug. My mail box is CoffeehouseMystery(at)gmail(dot)com.
you won the Reese's Latte Mug!
Thanks to everyone who entered and left comments. Stay tuned for more giveaways as I count down the weeks to the release of my new Coffeehouse Mystery (Billionaire Blend).
As for my recipe this week, I was (obviously) inspired by America’s favorite candy choice (and yours). All you need is a few ingredients, including a handful of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. So go ahead and pinch a few from your kids' trick-or-treat bags. They won't mind, especially after they take one bit of this amazing cake. So let's start baking!
~ Cleo
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Cleo Coyle, who thinks chocolate and peanut butter make a good marriage, writes The Coffeehouse Mysteries with her husband. |

Makes one 9x13-inch sheet cake
Cake Ingredients:
1 cup low fat milk (1% or 2% is best)
Ingredients to finish:
Peanut butter Icing (recipe included)
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chopped into small pieces (In my photos, I used 4 "snack size" peanut butter cups; not regular size and not minis or miniatures)
*Cleo’s Coffee Note: You will not taste the coffee in your cake. Coffee is a way to boost the chocolate flavor in any recipe. If you’d rather not use coffee, no worries; simply increase the milk to 1-1/3 cups.
Directions: First preheat your oven to 350° F. and put your peanut butter cups in the freezer (this will allow you to slice them without smushing them).
Get out a 13 x 9-inch baking pan and lightly coat the bottom and sides with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Place the “Cake Ingredients” into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer blend on low until ingredients are combined and then beat on high for 2 full minutes. (You are beating air into the batter, so don’t cut it short.)
Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes in an oven well-preheated to 350° F. Do not over-bake. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (with no batter clinging to it). Allow to cool, and then frost with my Peanut Butter Icing (recipe included). Garnish with chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (see my tips below).
Cleo’s garnishing tips: Be sure to freeze the peanut butter cups before chopping them. Slice carefully, making sure to keep the pieces small but intact (do not smush them). Finally, when you place them on the cake, do it one piece at a time, turning the peanut butter side up and putting the ridge side down into the icing (as you see in my finished photos). This will give your cake a more pleasing appearance.
Peanut Butter Icing
Frosts the top of one 9x13-inch sheet cake
Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 stick), softened (room temperature)
4-1/2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
Directions: Using an electric mixer, cream the peanut butter and softened butter until fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla. Blend on low speed until smooth. Finally, add the powdered sugar and beat on high until you have a light and fluffy frosting. (If your climate is dry, and the frosting is still too stiff, add 1 to 2 more teaspoons of milk and beat again.)
Inspired by Mr. Hershey, Reese started his own candy company in the basement of his home, using Hershey’s chocolate to make the peanut butter cup. After the death or Mr. Reese, his six sons merged their company with Hershey’s—not unlike their culinary product.
Yes, this is me, Cleo (aka Alice).
Friend me on facebook here.
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Visit my online coffeehouse here.
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To view the
Coffeehouse Mystery book trailer, click here. |
The Ghost and Mrs. McClure Book #1 of The Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, which Cleo writes under the name Alice Kimberly To learn more, click here. |
That cake looks decadent and delicious. I think I will wait and make it for a party or potluck dinner -- otherwise I might just polish off the whole thing!
ReplyDeleteI recently tried a new-to-me candy bar called a GooGoo Cluster, which is apparently a tradition here in the South, but since I didn't grow up here I had never had one before. It was actually quite good, and reminded me a bit of another favorite, the Bun Candy Bar. Emboldened by this pleasant surprise, I may just be able to work up the courage to try a Cherry Mash, although it is tough to look beyond the Pepto-Bismol pink filling!
Cee Pluse - Interesting! Marc and I grew up with Bun Candy Bars, and we both love them. I never had a GooGoo Cluster (although I've heard of them), and I say go for it. Not so sure about the Cherry Mash, that one is new to me. (Let's hope the filling doesn't *taste* like Pepto, eh? :))
DeleteThanks for dropping by; I hope you enjoy the recipe *and* have a very tasty Halloween!
~ Cleo
Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
That's a beauty Cleo! I will definitely try the peanut butter frosting--that would go with any chocolate cake I bet. Happy Halloween to you and Marc!
ReplyDeleteLucy/Roberta - Yes, yes! The frosting is truly delicious and will go well with any chocolate cake. Happy Halloween to my fellow crime-writing cook...
Delete~ Cleo
Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
Another winner!
ReplyDeleteI tried for years (several moons ago) to find someone who could bake the equivalent of a Reese's Cup in cake form. No one could figure it out. I think this cake with this icing may be the answer. All it needs is a ganache drizzle to finish it!
Libby - You and I are surfing the same culinary wave. I too considered a drizzle of chocolate ganache, but I ultimately decided on the chopped peanut butter cups instead. For me, it's an "either or" situation and here's why: The great thing about this cake (IMO) is that it's not cloyingly sweet. Despite the kids' candy on top, it’s very much an adult dessert with multiple levels of flavor. So if you do add the ganache, do so with a light touch, and you should be good to go (for your fork)!
DeleteThanks for dropping by today, Libby, it’s always a pleasure to see you in the Kitchen...
~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
What a perfect way to use America's favorite candy! I can't think of too many people who wouldn't happily settle in with a hunk of this. I plan to test it on my family soon. And hey - who says that's a kids' candy topping?
DeleteLove your recipes. I still make your butterscotch cheese cake for my sister-in-law's birthday every year. If anyone hasn't tried it, do. You won't be disappointed.
ReplyDeleteThis has my husband's name on it! He LOVES peanut butter cups. Would I be contributing to the delinquency of a type 2 diabetic if I made it?
ReplyDeleteOh, yum! This looks too good. I'm trick-or-treating at your house this year!
ReplyDeleteKrista
I know some kids who are going to be very happy campers with this recipe. Husbands, too. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Daryl / Avery
Oh boy, Cleo! I too will have to wait to make this as otherwise I would lock myself away with it and eat it until it was gone. Reese's peanut butter cups are my drug of choice.
ReplyDeleteBut I have a couple of occasions coming up where it will be a huge hit - it goes way beyond Halloween, although it's perfect for that too!
Yum!
ReplyDeleteI made the cake with Roma (found at Whole Foods) & mini peanut butter cups (what I could find on sale). Very Tasty! In the recipe book it goes :D
ReplyDelete