Reese's Peanut Butter Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (18 1/2 ounce) box dark chocolate cake mix

• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 cup milk

• 1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 6-8 reece's peanut butter cups, chilled then chopped

Directions

1. 1

   Prepare cake according to directions for a 9X13 pan. Set aside to cool.

2. 2

   Mix peanut butter, powdered sugar and vanilla with mixer.

3. 3

   Add small amounts of milk until desired consistency is achieved. This is frosting; so thicker is better.

4. 4

   Spread evenly over cool caked. (Hint -- if cake is partially frozen, there is less “tearing” when spreading the frosting.).

5. 5

   Melt chocolate chips in microwave for one minute. Stir to ensure all is melted and it has a slightly "runny" consistency. Makes it easier to spread!

6. 6

   Spread this over the top of the peanut butter frosting; spoonfuls at a time. Reheat if it hardens.

7. 7

   Sprinkle the chopped peanut butter cups over the warm chocolate to ensure it sticks. Chill to set chocolate.

8. 8

   This will be easier to cut at room temperature as the top chocolate layer will have hardened.

9. 9

   You can bypass that difficulty by cutting thru the first layer before it sets too hard. Not a problem really if you don't; just not as pretty if the top breaks while cutting it.

10. 10

    As an alternative; you can also use a bundt cake pan. Make the peanut butter frosting a little thinner in that case so it “drips” better.

11. 11

    Another idea would be to add the chopped peanut butter cups to the cake mix before baking.