Knock Your Socks off Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake!

Cake
1 3/4 c. flour
2/3 c. baking cocoa
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1t. salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs
1t. vanilla
1c. buttermilk
1/2 c. coffee liqueur/cold strong coffee/ or water
1c. peanut butter chips
1 pkg. of mini rees peanut butter cups cut into 1/4's
1c. finely chopped peanuts

Heat oven to 350. Grease 2 -9in. round cake pans, and lightly flour.

Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, set aside. Beat sugar, eggs, shortening, and vanilla in mixer, beat on low speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until blended. Beat in buttermilk and coffee. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Beating until smooth after each addition. Stir in peanut butter chips. Pour into pans.

Bake 30-33min. or till tooth pick comes out clean. Cool 10min; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely. Cut each layer horizzantally to make 2 layers. Drizzle with 2 T. coffee liqueur over each cut layer.

Place cut side up on serving plate. Slpread with 1/4 c. Peanit Butter Frosting to within a 1/4 in. of the edge. In between layers put choppes rees cups. Repeat with remaining layers. Placing the second nor cut side down. Frost cake with the Mocha Cream Cheese Frosting. Decorate with peanut butter cups, if wished. Store covered in the refridgerator.


Peanut Buttter Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
1t. vanilla
8oz. cream cheese
4c. powdered sugar

Beat peanut butter, whipping cream, vanilla, and cream cheese on med. speed till light and fluffy. Add sugar on low speed till smooth




Mocha Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 c. softened peanut butter
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
1T. coffee liqueur
8oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. baking cocoa
1T. dry instant coffee(opt.)
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Beat whipping cream. liqueur. amd cream cheese in mixer at med. speed till fluffy. Gradually beat in cocoa powder, coffee, and powdered sugar on low speed till smooth.

Warning: this is extremely addicting!
Cooks note: We have found that this make way more frosting then you need for the cake. Not to worry though, it will keep in the fridge. Use it on cupcakes, brownies, or another cake!