Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte

This is definitely good...extremely rich...but good. The best part about it is the frosting because it's a creamy peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Can't beat it. And it involves Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. We all know how I can't resist those! In the original recipe she used 2 8x8 pans, but I just used one 9-10 inch pan, let it cool and then cut it in half to make a top and a bottom. I liked doing this because it made the cake part a lot more moist and you only have to dirty one pan!

For the Cake:
1 Cup butter, melted
1 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
4 t vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 t salt
About 20 pieces Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray prepared pans (either 2 8x8's or 1 9inch) and line with parchment paper, then spray parchment paper.

In a medium bowl combine the butter and cocoa and stir until cocoa is dissolved. Add the sugr, 1/4 cup at a time and mix well. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla, flour and salt and combine until flour is no longer visible. Fold in peanut butter cups and put in prepared pans. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes and then remove and let cool.

Run a knife around the edge of each pan and turn out onto cooling rack. Once cooled, cut the cake in half length-wise and put the bottom cake layer on a platter. Spread 1/2 cup or more of frosting on top of layer and place the top layer of the cake back on.

For the Frosting:
1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter at room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

In a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Continue to beat on medium speed for 4 minutes. Add peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended. Spread frosting on cooled cake, top with chopped peanut butter cups. Cut into slices and serve.

* From Mmm...Cafe