This Vegan Peanut Butter Cake recipe is super simple and made with basic ingredients. The resulting cake is incredibly moist and full of peanut butter flavor.
This peanut butter cake is quick easy and SO delicious. I love peanut butter in desserts. From blondies like my Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blondies, to Cookies like my Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Cookies, it adds a saltiness that I find to be irresistable.
I thought developing a Vegan Peanut Butter Cake would be a significant challenge. I thought the peanut butter would make the cake dense and greasy. But, this cake is light, fluffy, moist and tender all while being full of peanut butter flavor. And, it uses basic staple ingredients!
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Ingredients
All Purpose Flour: I always recommend King Arthur flour. The quality is amazing.
Leaveners: A combination of baking powder and baking soda help this cake rise evenly and high.
Sugar: Regular old granulated sugar, here.
Plant Milk: I always use So Delicious Coconut Milk, but any non-dairy milk will work.
Oil: I use store brand canola oil for baking. All canola oil is virtually the same.
Peanut Butter: ONLY use natural creamy peanut butter for this vegan peanut butter cake recipe. My top peanut butter choice is Teddie.
Vanilla: To add background flavor.
White Vinegar: This activates the baking soda.
Method
This Vegan Peanut Butter Cake is easy and quick to make.
First, combine the sugar, peanut butter, oil, non-dairy milk, vanilla and white vinegar in a large bowl. Whisk the wet mixture really well.
Then, sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and whisk to form the batter.
And thats is! Pour the batter into a prepared cake pan and bake.
Expert Tips
My biggest cake making tip is: don't over mix the batter.
Over mixing usually means after you add the dry ingredients.
So, add all the wet ingredients to the bowl and whisk as much as your heart desires.
But, once the dry ingredients are in the bowl, only whisk for about 10 seconds.
Choose Your Cake Size
I baked my Vegan Peanut Butter Cake in an 8x8 inch square pan.
Its super easy and makes this cake easy to slap some buttercream on top and serve.
However, you can bake this cake in 3 six inch OR 2 eight inch cake pans for a layer cake.
Or, you could bake these as peanut butter cupcakes! You will just need to adjust the baking time to 17-20 minutes for all of these options.
What to Frost the Cake With
I placed my Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting in the recipe card. The two make a delicious, intensely peanut buttery combination.
But, it would also be delicious with Vegan Vanilla Frosting or Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Storage
Store this cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I do not recommend freezing the cake once its frosted.
Looking for More Peanut Butter Recipes?
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blondies
📖 Recipe
Vegan Peanut Butter Cake
Equipment
- 8x8 Cake Pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Cup Unsweetened Plant Milk
- ½ Cup Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
- ¼ Cup Canola Oil
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon White Vinegar
- 1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt ⅛ teaspoon if using fine grain salt
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 8 tablespoon Vegan Butter See note
- 8 tablespoon Natural Peanut Butter
- ¼ Cup Maple Syrup see note
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
To Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350* F. Prepare a 8x8 square pan by coating it with coconut oil or baking spray and by inserting a parchment sling for easy removal. (See above photos).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, plant milk, peanut butter, canola oil, vanilla and vinegar. Whisk really well to combine, making sure that the peanut butter is completely mixed into the other ingredients.1 Cup Granulated Sugar, 1 Cup Unsweetened Plant Milk, ½ Cup Natural Creamy Peanut Butter, ¼ Cup Canola Oil, 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract, 1 ½ teaspoon White Vinegar
- Place a fine mesh sifter on top of the bowl with the wet ingredients, making sure not to allow the sifter to dip into the wets.
- Into the sifter add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift into the wet ingredients. Whisk until just combined.1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour, 2 teaspoon Baking Powder, ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda, ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake in a 350* oven for 25-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool completely before decorating.
To Make the Peanut Butter Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter until no lumps remain.8 tablespoon Vegan Butter
- Add the peanut butter and mix until combined, then slowly stream in the maple syrup.8 tablespoon Natural Peanut Butter, ¼ Cup Maple Syrup
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated. Then, add the vanilla and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about two minutes.2 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted, ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Spread onto the cake and serve.
Debbie
Delicious! I made this with gluten free flour, brown sugar, and avocado oil! It turned out great! Good flavor, moist and semi dense. I whisked together all the wet ingredients and the brown sugar and let it set for about 30 minutes to let the sugar dissolve and flavors marry before I then added the dry ingredients and mixed with a fork till moist. I baked it in a 7x11inch glass pan, greased with a little Crisco, at 350 for 36 minutes.
Nidhi
Thanks Megan for this recipe..I tried it with whole wheat flour , it came out nice. Somehow, peanut butter gives it a dry feel but we accompanied with our evening tea and it was a hit. Looking forward to try more of your recipes.