A Lighter Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

With the holidays over, we want to trim a little off our calorie intake, but we don’t want to give up on a little dessert for the weekend.  In our Italian home we ate everything in moderation.  A Lighter Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake combines the flavour of chocolate with coffee.  Then in the icing, I add a little bit of peanut butter.  This isn’t your traditional cake and the layers are thin, but the taste is amazing.  Chocolate craving gone and calories in check.

My nonna Emilia loved chocolate; she often had bars of it and we shared as we baked.  When she was older and very sick, I would often bring a chocolate bar to the hospital to share, but she ate most of it.  Sometimes when I sit alone in the afternoon and enjoy a coffee, I slip a small square of chocolate into my mouth and savour the past and the present.

Italians don’t like peanut butter too much, but I do.  I remember the first time my Italian friends in Venice tried it; sometimes when we visit, I bring them a jar.

The dry ingredients assembled.

Apple sauce is a healthy alternative to fat in recipes.

Side by side as the dry prepare to meet the wet.

This is a very light batter.

The batter divided amongst two cake pans

They come out easily and it is a very thin, but delicious layer waiting for the icing.

The icing is light and healthy.  I use light cream cheese, yogurt, peanut butter and of course more Baileys’.

                 Use a little bit of powdered sugar to help give texture to your icing.

The first layer prepared.

All done and I sprinkle a little cocoa over the top.

The pears with a little honey adorn the top.

Have a slice!!

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A Lighter Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

A quick fix for that chocolate craving.   

Course Dessert

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword A Lighter Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 8

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The cake

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tbsp cocoa
• 1/2 tbsp instant coffee granules
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup apple sauce unsweetened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp Baileys'
• 1 cup milk

The frosting

• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1/2 brick cream cheese light
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp Baileys'
• 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
• 1 tbsp cocoa for sprinkling

The garnishes

• 1/2 cup ground walnuts
• fresh fruit
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp Baileys see cake instructions
• 1 tsp cocoa sprinkling on top

Instructions

The Cake

1. Set oven to 350 F

   In a small bowl mix all the dry ingredients.

   In a larger bowl mix all the wet ingredients.

   Add the dry to the wet and beat for a few minutes.

   Grease two 8 inch round pans with a little canola oil.

   Divide batter between the pans.

   Cook for 15-17 minutes.

   Cool and invert cakes. 

   Once cakes are cooled pour 1 tbsp of baileys over each side and ensure that it soaks in.  

The Icing

1. Soften cream cheese and add yogurt.

   Beat until smooth.

   Add peanut butter and Baileys' and beat again. 

The assembly

1. Take one layer of the cake and spread with half the icing and sprinkle with half the nuts. Ensure that you are frosting the side soaked in Baileys'.

   Put the second layer of the cake on and spread with the remainder of the icing. Ensure that the side down has the Baileys.  Sprinkle with cocoa powder.  

   Today I used thinly sliced pears over the icing.  

   I glazed them with a little honey and then sprinkled the remainder of the nuts over the pears.  

Recipe Notes

This is a thick cake that resembles a brownie in texture. 

If you use fresh strawberries over this cake try a little warmed strawberry jam glaze over the fruit.

Be creative with the fruit and glazes.  

Coffee Brownie Bars

Coffee Brownie Bars give me that little perk after the holidays.  I love coffee and these combine chocolate and coffee for the ultimate experience.  The smooth taste of the chocolate complimented by the robust and sharp flavour of the coffee is the perfect little dessert.  These bars are a must for all coffee lovers.

Bars became popular because they are firm as a cake and softer than a cookie.  They are easy to bake, pick-up and combine cookies and cake in a pan.

The sugar and eggs in the bowl.

Melting the chocolate and butter over the water.  keep an eye on it.

Almost done and velvety smooth.

Beating the eggs and sugar until frothy and silky, about 5 minutes.

The nuts hit the chocolate.

Preparing the topping; today i threw everything in the bowl.

The topping goes over easily and then i swirl in some chocolate syrup.

sticky and gooey as it comes out of the oven.

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Coffee Brownie Bars

Coffee Brownie Bars will help you perk-up for the Holiday Season. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword Coffee Brownie Bars

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Brownie base

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp instant coffee I used instant espresso
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp coffee liqueur I used Baileys
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional

The Topping

• 1 pkg cream cheese softened
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp each coffee liqueur and instant coffee
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 large egg

The Garnish

• 2-3 tbsp chocolate syrup
• coffee beans

Instructions

The Brownie Base

1. Fill a pot 1/4 full of water and bring to a boil. 

   Turn the burner down to low setting.

   Place a medium bowl over a pan. 

   Melt the chocolate chips, butter and instant coffee together.

   Meanwhile beat the sugar and eggs in a bowl on high  for about 3 minutes.  Mixture should be thick and pale. 

   Remove chocolate mixture from pan and stir.

   Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the sugar and eggs.

   Stir with a spatula and then beat for one minute on high.  

   Now fold in the flour and baking powder.

   Stir in pecans. 

   Pour batter into a 9 X 13 pan that has been greased and dusted with flour.

   Set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

The Topping

1. Combine the softened cream cheese with the icing sugar and blend until smooth.  

   Add the remaining ingredients and beat on low until combined.

   Remove cooled brownie mixture from refrigerator.

   Spread the topping evenly over the brownie base.

   Now dollop the chocolate syrup over the topping and swirl using a toothpick.

   Place in 325 F oven for 30 minutes.

   Remove from oven and garnish with coffee beans.  

   Let cool before cutting.