Reeces Peanut Butter Cup Cake

It was my Mom's birthday when I made this and I forgot to take pictures before I put the candles on so you get to see it as a birthday cake!

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup tightly packed brown sugar

½ Cup creamy peanut butter

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup hot water

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup Mini Reeces Peanut Butter Cups Baking Chips (You can usually find these where they sell chocolate chips...they might be hard to find. You can also sub with a mixture of peanut butter chips and chocolate chips if you can't find them.)

8 oz softened cream cheese

½ Cup powdered sugar

¼ Cup creamy peanut butter

2 packages Recees Peanut Butter Cups, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 x 1 1/2 inch pans. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix together brown sugar, peanut butter and butter for two minutes. Add egg and egg yolk and mix for another 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and mix for another minute. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until incorporated about 20 seconds. Then add the sour cream, mixing again for 20 seconds. Gradually add the remaining flour mixture. Add the hot water in a slow, steady stream and mix on low to combine, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and mix for another 10 seconds. Add the mini peanut butter cups and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Divide the cake batter into the prepared pans, spreading it evenly. Bake for about 15 minutes. Use a toothpick to see if it is done. Remove from oven and wait about 5 minutes to remove from pan to a cooling rack. Let cool completely.

Place cream cheese, powdered sugar, and peanut butter into a medium bowl. Use hand mixer to blend until smooth. Once cakes are cooled completely, spread cream cheese over top of one of the cakes. Sprinkle 3 roughly chopped Reeces Peanut Butter Cups over cream cheese layer. Top with 2nd cake.

Chocolate Ganache:

1 Cup semisweet chocolate chips

¾ Cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Place chocolate chips into a medium mixing bowl. Place cream and butter into a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat cream/butter until just boiling. Remove and pour over chocolate chips. Let sit for 3-5 minutes then stir until smooth.

To Assemble: Place layered cake on a cooling rack. Place rack on top of a cookie sheet so that the extra chocolate has a place to drip onto. Pour chocolate ganache over cake and using a narrow metal spatula, quickly pared it evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with chopped peanut butter cups in center of cake.

**SUCH an AWESOME cake!!! LOVE IT!

**Adapted from Picky Palate.