This oil free vegan Peanut Butter Cake is soft, moist and everything that you can crave for! Its healthier, naturally sweetened with dates and made with whole wheat flour. It’s an easy and delicious chewy treat for all ages and all year round.
I loaded this cake with fresh whipped peanut butter frosting because of my love for it. I simply can’t stop munching and licking peanut butter in any form.
Therefore, while I was testing this recipe, I mostly gorged on the batter because I had no patience to wait till the end.
However, I must say that, while this cake was baking my kitchen was filled with appetizing and delightful aroma which made me drool throughout. In fact, every time I tested this recipe, I immediately started eating as soon as it was out of the oven.
Also, while smearing it with the frosting I licked every bit of the cake knife. That is how crazy I am. So, today I am calling out all the peanut butter lovers that this is the best peanut butter cake ever!
I have created many sweet and savory recipes with peanut butter earlier like Peanut Butter Apple Pancakes, Peanut Butter Banana Amaranth Cookies , Peanut Butter Quinoa Porridge, One Pot Peanut Butter Tempeh Curry. However, this dessert is absolutely outstanding.
Also, I like the fact that I made it in a rectangular baking pan so you may also satisfy your craving for peanut butter sheet cake.
My other cake creativities that you may like:
Vegan Red Velvet Cake
Gingerbread Cake
Cranberry Cake
Pistachio Cake
Pumpkin Cake
Oil Free Cherry Cake
Vegan Strawberry Cake
However, today I am here to share this awesome peanut butter cake recipe.
Ingredients you will need:
Dry ingredients
Whole wheat flour
Crushed raw peanuts
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Wet ingredients
Oat milk
Dates
Creamy peanut butter
Vanilla extract
Apple cider vinegar
For the frosting
Creamy peanut butter
Maple syrup
Vanilla extract
Salt
Dairy free milk
I have used these available ingredients which you may buy from any local grocery store. However, I have provided links to few of them here for your convenience.
If you plan to buy from these affiliate links then I get a small commission which in turn encourages me to bring in more delicious recipes for you.
Ingredients notes:
- Whole wheat flour – It is high in fiber and less processed as compared to all purpose flour. Therefore, it is a healthier option and easily available.
- Raw peanuts – this gives a nice crush to the sponge and compliments peanut butter in this cake pretty well.
- Oat milk – I used this milk because of its creamy texture and the natural sweet flavor. However, you may use any dairy free unsweetened milk except coconut milk in this recipe.
- Dates – It’s a healthier sweetener option and adds fiber and nutrition to this dessert. These are dried fruit and has many health benefits.
- Peanut butter – I used creamy peanut butter. However, I would recommend reading the label while you buy it from the store and try to go for the minimum ingredients in it. Mostly it should say roasted peanuts and salt. It is also ok if it is mildly sweetened but make sure to buy the unflavored one.
So, after going through the ingredients, it’s time to go through the steps and get started with your baking project of this delicious vegan dessert.
How to make Peanut Butter Cake
Firstly, in a mixing bowl, I combined all the dry ingredients and mixed it well with a spoon until there were no lumps.
Secondly, I blended oat milk and dates in a blender until it was smooth and kept it aside.
Next, in a large mixing bowl, I combined peanut butter and vanilla extract and beat it at medium speed with a hand electric mixer. I kept beating until it was smooth and creamy.
Thereafter, I poured in the blended milk and beat it again until all the ingredients were well blended. Then I stirred in apple cider vinegar to it.
Afterwards, I folded in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat it at a low speed with the hand electric mixer until a thick, soft and yet pouring batter was formed.
Then, I spooned it out in the prepared rectangular cake pan and baked it on the middle rack of the oven for about 30 minutes. Once done, I took it out and turned off the oven and placed it on a flat surface to cool down.
In the meanwhile, I whipped up all the frosting ingredients with the hand electric mixer until it was creamy and fudgy.
As soon as the cake cooled down and started to leave the edges of the pan, I inverted it on a flat working surface and topped it generously with the frosting.
Lastly, I sliced it and served immediately.
We practically made a meal out of it and half of it was gone with the blink of my eyes. We kept nibbling and munching on it all day on this deliciousness.
I am sure you would love this peanut cake as much as we did.
Expert tips:
- It is important to beat the peanut butter with vanilla before pouring in the blended milk to get the right consistency.
- Most importantly, mix the batter with a flat spatula twice before spooning out in the cake pan. This helps in mixing all the ingredients from all the sides.
- It is important to keep your cake pan ready before combining the wet and dry ingredients together so that the baking agent works appropriately.
You may keep it at room temperature in an air tight container to consume it the same day. Refrigerate the leftovers for about 3 weeks.
Creamy peanut butter works the best here. It should be unflavored and not crunchy.
Firstly, I made it oil free and butter free so therefore, we save on some calories on the fat. Next, I made the sponge with whole wheat flour and raw peanuts which are definitely healthier options. Secondly, I sweetened the entire cake sponge with dates and the frosting with pure maple syrup. These both are natural and healthier sweeteners as compared to the processed sugar. Therefore, this is a healthier cake which can be indulged occasionally without guilt.
Its chewy yet moist and soft. It has a gently crunch at the sponge because of the raw peanuts. Overall, it has a strong peanut taste and creaminess from the peanut butter and perfectly sweetened.
Yes, this is moist and soft. You won’t miss out on those extra fats.
Did you make it?
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Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup crushed raw peanuts
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
- 3 cups oat milk
- 1 1/4 cups pitted dates (soaked in warm water)
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Frosting
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp unsweetened dairy free milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degree Fahrenheit and prepare a 9*13-inch cake pan by greasing it with a cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients and mix well making sure that there are no lumps. Keep it aside.
- Drain the dates and combine them with milk in a blender. Blend it smooth and keep it aside.
- In another large mixing bowl combine ¾ cup peanut butter from the wet ingredients and vanilla extract. Beat it at medium speed with an electric hand mixer until nicely creamed and smoothened.
- Combine the blended milk to the beaten peanut butter and beat it again for 3-4 minutes at medium speed with the electric hand mixer until all the ingredients are well blended. Add apple cider vinegar to it and beat it again for 1 minute.
- Now, fold in dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat it at a low speed with an electric hand mixer until all a nice thick, soft but pouring consistency batter is formed. Then fold the batter with a spatula for 30 seconds. (Do not over mix with spatula).
- Spoon it out in the prepared cake pan and tap it side ways to spread the batter evenly in the pan. Place it in the middle rack of the oven and bake it for 30 minutes. At this point even if the tester has tiny crumbs sticking to it turn off the oven and take it out of the oven. Place it on a flat surface to cool down completely.
- In the meanwhile, in another mixing bowl combine all the frosting ingredients and whip it with the electric hand mixer until creamy in texture. Keep it aside.
- Once the cake is cools down, invert it on a flat working place. Then, with the help of a cake knife or a butter knife top it generously with the frosting. Slice and serve.
Notes
- You may use roasted unsalted peanuts for this recipe as well. However, raw peanuts with skins tastes best.
- Just before starting this cake soak dates in warm water until they are soft and easy to blend.
- Any unsweetened dairy free milk can be used in this recipe except coconut milk.
- While measuring peanut butter try to drain its floating oil from the jar as much as possible for the best results.
- Make sure to use 9*13 inch cake pan to bake it for the best results. However, you may use 9 inch square cake pan but it might come out a little dense. If you use 9 inch square cake pan the cake will rise to the very top of the pan but it will not spill. Any smaller cake pan will not work for this recipe.
- This recipe makes 16 slices and the serving size is 1 slice per person.
Nutrition
Baishakhi says
It looks delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Gunjan says
Thank you Baishakhi!