Let Me Tell You About My Most Dangerous Dessert Habit
Okay, so there are a few things I should never be left alone with—peanut butter cups are right up at the top. I mean, who invented these things? You can’t stop at one. Anyway, a while back, I whipped up this one bowl peanut butter cup dump cake sort of by accident (basically, the classic all-in-one bowl approach born out of sheer laziness). Now I can’t get rid of it from my weekly rotation. My sister calls me the “Peanut Butter Cake Pusher” now, which is, honestly, fair.
One time, I made this for a potluck and swore—I’ll just take a tiny piece—ended up hovering by the stove, sneaking forkfuls when nobody was looking. Oops. Anyway, it’s a proper game changer when you want something sweet, fast, and not too fussy. The top gets a bit craggy and molten, like lava cake’s slightly less hotheaded cousin. Also, be warned: your kitchen will smell like a chocolate shop for at least a day (my neighbor once popped in to “borrow sugar” but I know what she was after).
Why Do I Make This All the Time?
I make this when I want a “wow” fast, but have about zero patience for complicated steps. My family goes a bit bonkers for it, especially if I’ve stashed some mini peanut butter cups in the freezer. Actually, now I just buy the big bag or it’s gone before I get home.
Lots of dump cakes can be cloying (ugh, too much canned stuff for me), but this one is salty-sweet and chocolatey, not too fake. I like that you don’t need electric gadgets, just a bowl and willpower—which sometimes fails, leading me to clean the batter bowl with my finger (don’t judge!). Oh, and if you’re a fan of shortcuts or have kids with the attention span of a gnat, this is it.
This Is What Goes Into It (Trust Me)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (crunchy works, too—sometimes I use whatever’s on sale. Grandma swore by Jif but honestly, Skippy’s fine!)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (salted is also fine, just skip the extra salt below)
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (I use Devil’s Food, but yellow cake mix will work in a pinch—just add a tablespoon of cocoa powder)
- 3 eggs (sometimes, I’ll use two eggs plus a yolk if I’m feeling fancy… but no pressure)
- 2/3 cup milk (anything from whole to almond milk is okay; I once used oat milk when we ran out—actually turns out pretty decent)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (more if you love vanilla—I sometimes get carried away)
- 1 1/2 cups mini peanut butter cups, halved or quartered (the more the merrier, let’s be honest)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional—my little cousin puts white chocolate chips in and, not gonna lie, it’s pretty good)
- Pinch of salt (unless you used salted butter, in which case just skip it)
How I Actually Make It (Give or Take)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (or about 180°C, for my UK mates—yes, I always forget to preheat, too. Just do it when you remember).
- In a big bowl, mix melted butter and peanut butter together until smooth. (This is where I usually sneak a taste. You should, too.)
- Crack in the eggs and splash in the vanilla. Stir around until everything’s mostly mixed—don’t worry if it’s streaky.
- Dump in the cake mix and salt (if using). Add milk gradually and stir. It’s a thick, messy sort of batter. If it looks too dry, dash in a little more milk—it’s honestly very forgiving.
- Fold in peanut butter cups and chocolate chips. This is the best bit for me. Don’t overmix, though. Just fold until you think, Okay, that’s enough.
- Pour (or more like spread—it’s gloopy) into a greased 9×13 inch pan. Smooth it out a bit, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. (If you only have an 8×8, just bake a bit longer and watch for the center.)
- Bake for 28-35 minutes until it smells amazing, looks set on top, and a toothpick comes out with a bit of goo. Don’t bake it to death—slightly underdone is better here (learned that the fun way).
- Let it cool for at least 20 minutes, then cut and dig in. (Or, spoon it warm into a bowl with ice cream. Your call!)
Random Notes That Might Save You
- This cake is super forgiving—once I ran out of cake mix halfway and just topped it off with brownie mix. Not half bad!
- If your peanut butter is very stiff, microwave it for 15-20 seconds and it’ll behave.
- The center sometimes sinks a bit—don’t panic. It still tastes top notch. Actually, those gooey puddles are the best.
- I think this cake tastes even better the next day, if you can bear to wait.
How I’ve Mixed Things Up (Some Wins, One Epic Flop)
- I tried swirling in raspberry jam once—sounds great, but it ended up a bit too sweet for me. Maybe cut back on sugar if you try that.
- You can use chunky almond butter instead of peanut butter. Adds a different vibe, a bit more crunch. Worth a shot.
- I once tossed chopped up pretzels in the batter—salty, crispy, 10/10 would recommend.
Equipment—What You Definitely Need (Or Don’t)
I always use a big old mixing bowl (plastic, because I’m a klutz). A sturdy spatula or wooden spoon is fine—no need for a mixer. As for the baking tin, a roasting pan works if you don’t have a proper one. Once, I even divided the batter between two loaf pans; it worked but baked quicker, so keep an eye on it!
Stashing and Storing (Assuming You Even Have Leftovers)
This keeps on the counter, covered, for about three days… though, honestly, in my house it rarely lasts more than a day. You can refrigerate it if you’re in a heatwave (I stick slices into a lunchbox—sometimes they disappear before morning, magic?). Freezes fine; just defrost, slice, zap in the microwave for 15 seconds, and you’re sorted.
How We Love to Eat It
My personal favorite? Warm with a scoop of cheap vanilla ice cream (good ice cream if you’ve got it). My cousin likes his cold, straight from the fridge, with a splash of chocolate syrup, which sort of defeats the point but hey, horses for courses. If you want to get a bit fancy, swirl some caramel over the top. Or just eat it with a spoon, standing at the counter—it’s your life.
A Few Hard-Learned Lessons (So You Don’t Make My Mistakes)
- If you don’t let it cool for at least 20 minutes, it’ll just flop apart. I once tried to unmold it early—and regretted it. Patience, grasshopper.
- Don’t use natural peanut butter unless you’re okay with the batter being oily and weird. I did not love that round.
- If you forget to spray your pan, well, get ready to scrape and soak. I do this more often than I want to admit.
Wait, You’ve Actually Asked Me These Before
- Can I use full-size peanut butter cups?
- Oh, absolutely. Just chop ’em up a bit so you get even bites. Try not to eat them all during prep though (not that I ever have, ahem).
- Is there a dairy-free version?
- Sure thing. Swap in dairy-free butter and use a non-dairy milk—like almond or oat. Lots of boxed cake mixes are dairy-free, just check the label. Oh, here’s a handy guide to dairy free recipes I sometimes browse when I have vegan pals round.
- Can I halve the recipe?
- Yeah, all the time—just use an 8×8 inch pan and bake for nearly the same time, but check it at 25 mins. Smaller batch, but less guilt?
- How do you keep it gooey?
- Honestly, just don’t overbake. It should jiggle ever so slightly in the center when done. It sets as it cools. Also, don’t skimp on the PB cups! If you want to nerd out on the science (I did once), check out this article on keeping cakes moist from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
- Can kids make this?
- Oh, 100%. In fact, mine do most of the work now while I, uh, “supervise” (read: eat stray peanut butter cups). Just prep the tricky bits for them.
If you try this one bowl peanut butter cup dump cake, you’ll see why I can’t stop making it. And now for my completely unrelated tip: if you’ve got leftover cake crumbs, toss them over yogurt with a little bit of honey. Sounds odd, but trust me, it works on a sleepy Monday morning.
Now, go on—give it a go and let me know how much you ate straight out of the pan. (No judgment; I get it.)
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (125g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (175g) peanut butter cups, chopped
- 1/2 cup (90g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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1Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or pan.
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2In a large bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix, eggs, creamy peanut butter, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined.
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3Fold in the chopped peanut butter cups and chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
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4Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
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5Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with some moist crumbs.
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6Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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