PB and J Cake Black Currant (Printable)

Moist peanut butter layers filled with tangy black currant jam, topped with sweet fruit sauce for a nostalgic dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Peanut Butter Cake

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ Black Currant Jam Center

11 - 1/2 cup black currant jam or preserves

→ Black Currant Sauce

12 - 1 cup fresh or frozen black currants
13 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
14 - 2 tablespoons water
15 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat together softened butter and creamy peanut butter until smooth and creamy.
04 - Add granulated sugar to the butter mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the peanut butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined.
06 - Spread half the batter into the prepared pan. Spoon black currant jam evenly over the batter, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the edge. Gently spread the remaining batter on top to cover the jam.
07 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Combine black currants, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened and syrupy. Stir in lemon juice and cool slightly.
09 - Serve cake slices drizzled with black currant sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like your favorite childhood sandwich grew up and learned how to impress people at dinner parties.
  • The black currant sauce is tart enough to cut through richness, so you won't feel weighed down after a slice.
  • You get to feel like you're doing something sophisticated when really it's just peanut butter and jelly reimagined.
02 -
  • The jam layer sometimes sinks to the bottom if your batter isn't thick enough; make sure yours holds its shape when you spoon it, not soup-like.
  • Don't open the oven door before 30 minutes have passed, as sudden temperature changes can cause the cake to fall or bake unevenly.
  • If your black currants are very tart, taste the sauce as it cooks and add a pinch more sugar if needed; tartness is good but shouldn't make you pucker involuntarily.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and create a more uniform batter; set out your eggs and butter an hour before baking.
  • If the jam layer cracks the batter when you're spreading it, use a wet offset spatula or the back of a spoon, which glides over jam more easily than a dry tool.
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