I hate when recipes are buried under paragraphs of narrative, so I’ll go ahead and leave the recipe here, and the story is at the end if you’re interested :)
Ingredients:
Cake Layers:
1 box brownie mix (and whatever ingredients needed according to the box)
1 box chocolate cake mix to make two 9 inch round cakes (and whatever ingredients needed according to the box)
Peanut Butter Frosting:
2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter (best to use creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy)
6 cups powdered sugar
8 Tbsp heavy cream
Brownie Mousse:
1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 box brownie mix - you’ll use 3/4 cups of the dry mix
Chopped brownie pieces cut out for pudding
Chopped cake pieces cut from the center and cut out for pudding
Chocolate Pudding:
Buy jello chocolate pudding cups :)
Accessories:
4 large peanut butter cups, chopped roughly
1 bag mini peanut butter cups
1 large bag Reese’s Pieces
Directions:
Make one of the brownie mixes in a round 9” cake pan according to box directions.
Make 2 chocolate cakes in round 9” cake pans according to box directions.
While cakes and brownies are cooking, make the peanut butter frosting:
Beat together 2 cups unsalted softened butter and 1 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter until smooth and combined.
Slowly add 6 cups sifted powdered sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated.
Add 8 Tbsp heavy cream and mix until desired consistency is achieved.
Let brownie and cakes cool. If necessary, trim the tops so they are all flat.
Use a round drinking class to trace and remove a circle from the center of the brownie and one of the cake layers. The circle removed should be about 3 inches in diameter. Save the removed brownie (intact) and cake centers (crumbled) for later.
Cut out circles halfway through the brownie from the top, forming holes about quarter-size in diameter and an inch or so apart. Fill the holes with ready-made chocolate pudding. Save the pieces you cut out.
Spread a thick layer of peanut butter frosting across the entire top of the brownie layer, covering the brownie and pudding spots.
Add a cooled cake layer on top of the frosting. Cut holes the same size, depth, and distance apart as the holes in the brownie layer, and fill with pudding. Save the pieces you cut out.
Cover with a thick layer of peanut butter frosting.
Fill the large center hole with Reeses pieces. They should completely fill the hole.
Add the second layer of cake. Because this one doesn’t have a center hole, the cake should now be flat on top.
Cover with a layer of peanut butter frosting.
Cover the sides of the cake completely with peanut butter frosting.
Place the cake in the fridge while you make the brownie mousse:
Pour the 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream into the bowl and beat on medium speed until the cream starts to thicken and soft peaks form.
Turn the mixer down to low speed and slowly add the 3/4 cups dry brownie mix. Once the dry mix is incorporated, turn the mixer back to a higher speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the pieces of brownie and chocolate cake into the brownie batter mousse.
Add a very thick layer of the brownie mousse to the top of the cake. Go crazy.
Decorate the cake with the round cut-out brownie, chopped Reese's peanut butter cups, mini peanut butter cups, and brownie/cake chunks.
Photos:
Brownie layer with pudding and peanut butter frosting (before spreading the frosting).
Cake layer #1 full of pudding with Reese’s in the middle.
Decorated cake, courtesy of the 3 year old.
I made the inner circle too small - if I’d made it 3 inches in diameter there would have been more of a cascade of Reese’s spilling out of the center!
Why I made this ridiculous cake:
Brian loves sugar, and I love making cakes, so when his birthday rolls around I love taking the opportunity to make something new. I knew I wanted to make something with peanut butter, and I’d always wanted to make a surprise cake full of candy. Luckily I had a 3 year old helper who was JAZZED at the thought of decorating a cake with candy, and he took charge of filling the center and putting all the candy on top.
I researched this cake for awhile and decided to put the brownie layer on the bottom since it’s the heaviest. I used ready-made pudding to save myself on some time, and when I couldn’t decide between the brownie mousse for frosting and the peanut butter frosting I decided on… both… (The brownie mousse is my new favorite thing to make. It is SO EASY and so delicious.)
Next time I make this I might try different variations - maybe crushed Reese’s pieces in between the layers? Little peanut butter cups instead of pudding? In addition to pudding?!? Sky’s the limit :)