Peanut Butter Granola Snack Cake Recipe

Name: Peanut Butter Granola Snack Cake Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup sugar; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature; 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (see note); 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1 cup granola (see note); Baking spray; 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (See Notes); 2 cups packed light brown sugar; 3 large eggs; 2 cups (about 10 ounces) all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Peanut butter is probably the most-consumed food item in my kitchen—I might be going through a whole jar of it each week. On toast, carrot sticks, pieces of baking chocolate, apples, bananas, ice cream, and, more often than not, straight out of the jar. Lately I've taken to dipping large spoonfuls of it in tubs of granola, as if it was one of those dippy cones from Dairy Queen.

Many of my snack choices eventually find themselves morphed into cake, and it didn't take much heavy pondering to identify my gooey, crunch-coated, peanut butter-granola combo as a viable flavor of cake.

This cake is basic in its composition and assembly. The base blend of creamed butter, light brown sugar, and creamy peanut butter (plus the usual additions of flour, leavener, and buttermilk) come together into a beautifully thick batter that has a good balance of sweet and salty.

Satisfying and dense, this cake is crowned with a granola-based topping that melts and increases in crunchiness as it bakes, turning into a cookie-like shell. Peanut butter, cake, cookie—get all your cravings satisfied in a single bite.

April 2012

Peanut Butter Granola Snack Cake Recipe

Prep 15 mins

Cook 45 mins

Active 30 mins

Cooling Time 15 mins

Total 75 mins

Serves 12 to 16 servings

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For the Topping:

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (see note)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup granola (see note)

For the Cake:

Baking spray
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (see note)
2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
10 ounces all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
For the Topping: With fork, combine flour, sugar, butter, peanut butter, and salt. Add granola and work into mixture with fingertips.
For the Cake: Coat 13- by 9-inch baking pan with baking spray.
In large bowl, beat butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add vanilla and beat mixture on medium speed just to combine, about 15 seconds.
Scrape batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with topping and press gently into batter.
Bake until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan set on rack for 15 minutes and serve.

Special Equipment

13- by 9-inch baking dish, hand mixer, rubber spatula

Notes

Do not use natural peanut butter as it will negatively affect the texture of the cake.

Use your preferred brand and type of granola in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
391	Calories
18g	Fat
50g	Carbs
8g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories	391
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g	24%
Saturated Fat 7g	35%
Cholesterol 56mg	19%
Sodium 370mg	16%
Total Carbohydrate 50g	18%
Dietary Fiber 2g	7%
Total Sugars 29g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 87mg	7%
Iron 2mg	11%
Potassium 222mg	5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.