These are so addictive! Seriously, I forgot how good these little devils are. This is proof that really simple things can be good as hell.

Unlike my Brookies (brownies and chocolate chip cookie bars) which are fudgy and gooey, these brownies are on the cakier side but very moist and delicious, especially with that top peanut butter chocolate ganache on top.

This is a recipe that reminds me of high school. One schoolmate once made these, brought them to school and got everyone hooked on them! Everyone wanted the recipe to make them at home, so he shared it and from that moment on, every once in a while someone made them and brought them to school.

So when a friend of mine asked me to bake something for her birthday saying that she loves peanut butter cups, I immediately thought of this recipe even though I haven’t made it in a long time. Then I made it, tried it and thought, omg this is so good. And the next day I baked it again for myself haha.

Oh, I also changed the recipe quite a bit because the instructions seemed a bit weird. All the baking and cooking knowledge I gathered over the years was flashing red lights in my head. I also reduced the amount of sugar.

So here it is now on the blog, tested and approved.

The chocolate cake is light, moist, a bit fudgy and chocolaty. The topping is amazing peanut butter and chocolate ganache that melts in your mouth.

A minimal amount of effort for maximum deliciousness.

If you like easy desserts in bar form check out: 

Ruby Chocolate Blondies
Rhubarb Crumble Cake
Apple Crumble Cheesecake Bars with Salted Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

Cake
250 g flour
300 g sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
225 g butter
45 g cocoa powder
220 ml buttermilk
30 ml water
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Peanut butter and chocolate ganache
170 g smooth peanut butter
170 g semi-sweet chocolate
170 g whipping cream

Instructions

Cake
Preheat the oven to 175°C and line a 24 x 32 cm baking pan with parchment paper. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Melt the butter in a pan and then add sifted cocoa powder, buttermilk, water and vanilla extract to it. Mix until combined. Add the butter mixture and eggs to the flour mixture and whisk until the batter is uniform. Pour the batter to the prepared baking pan and distribute evenly. Bake for 20-25 min. Insert a knife or a toothpick to the center of the batter, if it comes out clean with no wet batter it’s done. Let it cool and prepare the ganache in the meantime.

Peanut butter and chocolate ganache
Warm up the cream until almost boiling, remove from the heat and add chopped chocolate and peanut butter. Leave for 1 minute and then whisk until you get a smooth ganache. If the chocolate doesn’t melt all the way through, heat up the ganache until it does.

Assemble
Smear the ganache over the chocolate cake and leave for 1-2 hours to set (or eat right away, I won’t judge). Enjoy :))

Print Recipe

Peanut butter and chocolate bars

A minimal amount of effort for maximum deliciousness with a light, fudgy, and moist chocolate cake with peanut butter and chocolate ganache that melts in your mouth.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Resting time2 hrs

Total Time40 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cakey brownies, chocolate, peanut butter

Servings: 20 portions

Author: Dea Kepic

Ingredients

Cake

• 250 g flour
• 300 g sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 225 g butter
• 45 g cocoa powder
• 220 ml buttermilk
• 30 ml water
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Peanut butter and chocolate ganache

• 170 g smooth peanut butter
• 170 g semi-sweet chocolate
• 170 g whipping cream

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 175°C and line a 24 x 32 cm baking pan with parchment paper. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Melt the butter in a pan and then add sifted cocoa powder, buttermilk, water and vanilla extract to it. Mix until combined. 
• Add the butter mixture and eggs to the flour mixture and whisk until the batter is uniform. Pour the batter to the prepared baking pan and distribute evenly.
•  Bake for 20-25 min. Insert a knife or a toothpick to the center of the batter, if it comes out clean with no wet batter it’s done. Let it cool and prepare the ganache in the meantime.

Peanut butter and chocolate ganache

• Warm up the cream until almost boiling, remove from the heat and add chopped chocolate and peanut butter. Leave for 1 minute and then whisk until you get a smooth ganache. If the chocolate doesn’t melt all the way through, heat up the ganache until it does.

Assemble

• Smear the ganache over the chocolate cake and leave for 1-2 hours to set (or eat right away, I won’t judge). Enjoy :))

Tried this recipe?Mention @FreakyBlond or tag #prettysweetblog!