going old school

Old-fashioned peanut butter cake. I'm sure cafeteria meals have changed a lot since I was in school, but if there's one thing that I hope they haven't taken away, it's the peanut butter cake.

Did you experience this delight? This thin, moist peanut butter cake topped with a sweet icing was something I looked forward to eating every time it was on the menu. Considering allergy concerns these days, it's probably long gone, and while that's a shame, the good news is that you can make it for yourself at home!

This is such a good recipe. It's probably different from every cake recipe you've ever seen, but it yields the most tender, delicious peanut butter cake I've ever eaten. The icing is unique too, and I could probably eat a bowl of it (though my teeth would hate me for it).

The recipe I used was intended for a 13x9-inch pan, which would probably give a thinner cake, but I halved the recipe and didn't mind the thickness produced by the 8x8-inch pan; your mileage may vary. I loved everything about this cake, from its tender crumb to its dominant peanut butter flavor (pregnancy cravings!), and especially its buttery, sweet, creamy icing. It was even better after the first day--the cake got even more moist and everything just seemed to gel!

Was the peanut butter cake of my elementary school cafeteria days as good as this? Nostalgia deems it so!

Old-School School Lunch Cake
(printable recipe)
Adapted from this recipe
Makes 1 8x8-inch cake
Ingredients:
Cake:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup peanut butter (not natural)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk, plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray an 8x8-inch pan with nonstick spray.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
Heat the butter and water in a small saucepan until it comes to a boil. Take off the heat and whisk in the peanut butter and oil until smooth.
Let cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until well blended.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and whisk until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the cake on a cooling rack while you make the frosting.
To make the icing, put the butter, peanut butter, and buttermilk in a saucepan and bring to a full boil (it may separate; that's okay).
Take off the heat and beat in the vanilla and powdered sugar, adding a cup at a time, until the icing is smooth. Add more buttermilk as needed.
Pour the hot icing over the warm cake, working quickly because the icing sets up immediately. Spread evenly over cake.