Peanut Butter Pretzel Cake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on November 17, 2021
Yield
Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients
Cake
5 ounces (142 grams) thin pretzels, broken into ½-inch pieces (2 cups)1¼ cups whole milk, room temperature6 large egg whites, room temperature3 tablespoons molasses 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour 1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) sugar 5 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons salt 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 14 pieces and softenedCandied Peanuts
½ cup dry-roasted peanuts 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons water ¼ teaspooon salt 6 cups Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting 1 ounce (28 grams) thin pretzel, broken into ¼-inch pieces (½ cup)Before You Begin
We had the best luck using Rold Gold Thin Pretzels.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Process pretzels in food processor until finely ground, 1 to 2 minutes; set aside.
- Whisk milk, egg whites, molasses, and vanilla together in 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix ground pretzels, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute.
- Add half of milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, add remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds (batter may look slightly curdled). Give batter final stir by hand. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake until tops are golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Bring all ingredients to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until water evaporates and sugar appears dry and somewhat crystallized and evenly coats peanuts, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to stir peanuts until sugar turns amber color, about 2 minutes. Transfer peanuts to prepared sheet and spread into even layer. Let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
- Line edges of cake platter with 4 strips of parchment to keep platter clean. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread ¾ cup frosting evenly over top, right to edge of cake. Repeat with 1 more cake layer, pressing lightly to adhere, and ¾ cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer, pressing lightly to adhere. Spread 1 cup frosting evenly over top. Spread remaining frosting over sides of cake. Press pretzel pieces around bottom third of cake. Mound candied peanuts in center of cake. Carefully remove parchment strips before serving.
for the cake
for the candied peanuts
Yield
Serves 10 to 12Ingredients
Cake
5 ounces (142 grams) thin pretzels, broken into ½-inch pieces (2 cups)
1¼ cups whole milk, room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
3 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 14 pieces and softened
Candied Peanuts
½ cup dry-roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspooon salt
1 ounce (28 grams) thin pretzel, broken into ¼-inch pieces (½ cup)
Ingredients
Cake
5 ounces (142 grams) thin pretzels, broken into ½-inch pieces (2 cups)
1¼ cups whole milk, room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
3 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 14 pieces and softened
Candied Peanuts
½ cup dry-roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspooon salt
1 ounce (28 grams) thin pretzel, broken into ¼-inch pieces (½ cup)
Ingredients
Cake
5 ounces (142 grams) thin pretzels, broken into ½-inch pieces (2 cups)
1¼ cups whole milk, room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
3 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 14 pieces and softened
Candied Peanuts
½ cup dry-roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspooon salt
1 ounce (28 grams) thin pretzel, broken into ¼-inch pieces (½ cup)
Why This Recipe Works
We wanted to make a festive cake that would showcase this much-loved pairing in a big way. This meant that rather than use pretzels just for decoration, we actually used a homemade pretzel “flour” in the cake batter. To make the flour, we simply processed thin pretzels in a food processor until they were finely ground. The addition of some regular flour ensured the cake had enough structure and wasn't coarse or dense. A little salt and a dose of molasses reinforced the pretzel flavor of our three-layer cake through and through. Creamy peanut butter frosting added luxurious richness and was the perfect foil to the pretzel element of our cake. A ring of crushed pretzels around the bottom of the frosted cake hinted at the flavor inside, and crunchy candied peanuts were a gorgeous crown for this decadent dessert.
Before You Begin
We had the best luck using Rold Gold Thin Pretzels.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Process pretzels in food processor until finely ground, 1 to 2 minutes; set aside.
- Whisk milk, egg whites, molasses, and vanilla together in 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix ground pretzels, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute.
- Add half of milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, add remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds (batter may look slightly curdled). Give batter final stir by hand. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake until tops are golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Bring all ingredients to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until water evaporates and sugar appears dry and somewhat crystallized and evenly coats peanuts, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to stir peanuts until sugar turns amber color, about 2 minutes. Transfer peanuts to prepared sheet and spread into even layer. Let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
- Line edges of cake platter with 4 strips of parchment to keep platter clean. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread ¾ cup frosting evenly over top, right to edge of cake. Repeat with 1 more cake layer, pressing lightly to adhere, and ¾ cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer, pressing lightly to adhere. Spread 1 cup frosting evenly over top. Spread remaining frosting over sides of cake. Press pretzel pieces around bottom third of cake. Mound candied peanuts in center of cake. Carefully remove parchment strips before serving.
for the cake
for the candied peanuts
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