Peanut Butter and Jelly Belly Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you do not cook for the very young or young at heart, please stay long enough to accept my apology for not yet responding to your comments of the week. Time and intent are at odds with each other and time has obviously trumped intent. There simply has been no time. Those of you who occasionally bake for children's parties might want to tarry, but all others have been granted an excused absence, as long as they are present for tomorrow's morning meeting, where adult, or at least semi-adult, recipes will again be the order of the day.

One of my special boys turned four this week. He wanted a peanut butter and jelly cake for his party. He was pretty insistent about it and could not be dissuaded. I did some inward groaning and probably glared at his mother, who I am sure put him up to the request, but, in the end, thanks to some help from folk's at the Hershey test kitchen, Joshua had his birthday cake. The recipe is easy in the extreme and I must say the finished cake is not half bad. The frosting is actually delicious.

We have a tradition that allows the birthday boy or girl to put candles on their cake as soon as they can select the correct number of them from a pile. As you can see, Joshua has mastered the technique. I'd like those of you who know our family to note the nearly perfect line he's formed with his candles. I had hoped for a poet, but I think we have another budding engineer on our hands. Without further ado, here's the recipe for Joshua's birthday cake.


Peanut Butter and Jelly Belly Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Hershey Test Kitchens

Ingredients:
1 package (about 18 oz.) white cake mix
3/4 cup strawberry jam
1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) peanut butter chips
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:
1) Prepare cake as directed on package for two 9-inch layers. Slice each layer in half horizontally to form two layers. Place one layer on serving plate; spread 1/4 cup jam over top. Repeat with remaining layers, ending with plain layer on top.
2) Stir together peanut butter chips and milk in medium saucepan. Heat over heat, stirring constantly, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Cool until slightly thickened. Beat whipping cream with electric mixer until stiff; gradually blend into peanut butter mixture. If necessary, cool until of spreading consistency. Frost top and sides of cake. Yield: 12 servings.

Cook's note: If frosting becomes too thick to spread, thin it with milk or cream.








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