Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bundt Cake

I made this cake for a Christmas party that we had with some friends last night. I was so excited because I love anything that has PB and chocolate together. I knew it was going to be good when I tasted the chocolate batter. It tasted like chocolate ice cream. The cake was delicious. It's a very rich cake, so grab a glass of milk. Aubrey and I were saying how we really like rich flavored cakes because it limits us to eating only one piece at a time (as opposed to eating a whole pan of brownies... well, that may be an exaggeration).


Ingredients:

Filling
2/3 cup peanut butter
4-ounces cream cheese, softened
1 Tablespoon butter, softened
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

Batter
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup boiling water
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

To make filling
In a large mixing bowl, beat peanut butter, cream cheese, and butter until combined. Add egg yolks, one at a time, and beat until combined. Mix in vanilla. Be sure to scrape down the sides. Pour in sugar and flour, mix until combined. Scoop the filling into a pastry bag (or zip lock bag) and cut the corner off. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

To make batter
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a medium metal or glass bowl, add cocoa and whisk in boiling water. Add in chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. Mix in sour cream.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs, one at a time, and then beat in vanilla. Alternatively mix in the dry ingredients and the cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.

Spray a bundt pan with a nonstick spray that has flour included. Spoon a little less than half of the batter into the bottom of the bundt pan. Using the pastry bag that has the peanut butter mixture, carefully pipe a ring of the filling over the center of the chocolate batter. Be careful not to let the PB mixture touch the sides of the pan. Pour the remaining batter on top and gently tap the pan to remove air bubbles.

Bake until top springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached - about 50-60 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Place a wire cooling rack on top of the cake and carefully turn over - remove the pan and let cool completely.

Source: The Food Librarian ... originally from Canadian Living