I was getting tired of the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so I decided to try it in cake form — and honestly, cake always wins.
“Snack cake” sounds perfect: portable, snackable, and just indulgent enough while still feeling reasonable. I was in.
Side note: this is also why I don’t bother with elaborate cookie decorating.
Next time I’ll probably add more jelly.
I’m not usually a fan of huge globs of jelly — I prefer a thin smear on my PB&J and nearly a whole cup of peanut butter. But my husband is Team Jelly and insisted “more jelly!” for the next batch. I don’t think he was commenting on my appetite.
Even if I’m not craving peanut butter and jelly on bread right now, I will always be into cake. I’ve already tried peanut butter and jelly in muffins, bars, cookies and even pancakes — so cake felt like the natural next step. To keep it a little lighter, I used whole wheat pastry flour.
Some tempting toppings I didn’t try: melted peanut butter, melted chocolate, crumbled bacon, or a cream cheese glaze. They all would be fantastic — sometimes I surprise myself by leaving things simple. Also, I really wouldn’t say no if someone delivered PB&J-inspired blondies to my door.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Snack Cake
6
to 8
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose; regular whole wheat not recommended
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- jelly or jam of your choice
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and peanut butter. Add the brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla until combined. With the mixer on low, add the flour, baking powder and salt, scraping the bowl as needed. Stir in the milk until the batter comes together.
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Butter and flour an 8×8-inch cake pan. Pour the batter into the pan. Drop spoonfuls of jelly or jam over the top and use a knife to swirl it through the batter. It doesn’t need to look perfect — add as much jelly as you like; more jelly keeps the cake moist. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake is set. Let cool completely before slicing.
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This cake is totally acceptable for breakfast — but then again, what cake isn’t?