Delicious Peanut Butter Chocolate Roll

This indulgent Chocolate Roll Cake with Peanut Butter Cups blends two favorite tastes—smooth peanut butter and deep chocolate—in a showstopping dessert that looks fancy but isn't too hard to make. The soft chocolate cake wraps up a creamy peanut butter filling packed with chopped mini peanut butter cups for a treat nobody will forget.

I whipped up this cake for my nephew's birthday when I needed something wow-worthy but was in a rush. Seeing everyone's amazement when I cut the first slice made it totally worth it, and now my family asks for it at pretty much every get-together.

Ingredients

• Large eggs: You'll need four to give your cake the airy bounce that lets it roll up without breaking
• All purpose flour: This gives the cake structure while staying flexible enough to roll
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Brings deep chocolate flavor without going overboard on sweetness
• Baking powder: Just a touch helps the cake puff up slightly without getting too thick to roll
• Salt: Perks up the flavors and cuts through sweetness
• Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and creates volume when whipped with the eggs
• Powdered sugar: Works for dusting your towel and sweetening the filling smoothly
• Smooth peanut butter: Stick with brands like Skippy or Jif for the most reliable filling texture
• Heavy cream: Whips up to create the fluffy, spreadable filling base
• Mini peanut butter cups: Adds crunch and pockets of chocolate-peanut butter goodness

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the oven and pan:

First, heat your oven to 350°F and put parchment on your baking sheet, making sure it goes up the sides for easy cake removal. A quick spray underneath helps the paper stay put.

Create the egg base:

Whip eggs and sugar thoroughly for 5 full minutes until they've tripled in size and turned light yellow. This long mixing creates tiny air bubbles that make your cake light enough to roll up.

Incorporate dry ingredients:

Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together to break up lumps, then gently fold into your egg mixture. Use a rubber spatula in a figure-eight pattern to keep all that air you've worked for.

Bake the sponge:

Smooth the batter evenly with an offset spatula, getting into all corners. Give the pan a gentle tap to pop big air bubbles. It bakes fast, so check at 10 minutes – it's done when the middle bounces back if you touch it.

Prepare for rolling:

While it's baking, grab a clean kitchen towel and cover it with powdered sugar. This stops sticking during rolling. Move quickly when the cake's done, flipping it onto the towel right away before it cools and gets stiff.

Make the filling:

Beat heavy cream until soft peaks form, then mix in powdered sugar and peanut butter carefully. Your filling should be thick but easy to spread. If it's too stiff, add a splash of cream; if too runny, chill it briefly.

Assemble the cake:

After cooling, gently unroll the cake, spread filling leaving a small border, and scatter chopped peanut butter cups all over. Roll it back up using the towel as a guide but not rolling it in this time, helping you get a tight spiral without squeezing too hard.

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This cake always takes me back to the chocolate peanut butter ice cream my grandma would scoop on hot summer nights. It's a combo that never goes out of style, and I turn to it whenever I need something that'll make everyone happy. Those little pieces of peanut butter cups give just the right bit of crunch that makes people smile with that first bite.

Preventing Cake Cracks

Roll cakes often crack, but you can avoid this problem with a few tricks. Don't leave your cake in the oven too long—even a minute extra can make it too brittle to roll. Also, rolling while it's still warm trains the cake to bend. And don't rush the cooling before you add filling; a warm cake will tear easily. Don't stress about tiny cracks though—your filling and a dusting of powdered sugar will hide small mistakes.

Make Ahead Options

This roll cake actually tastes better after chilling in the fridge, which makes it great for parties. You can fix it up two days ahead and keep it wrapped in the fridge. If you want to plan way ahead, you can freeze the plain rolled cake for up to a month—just wrap it tight in plastic then foil while it's still rolled with the towel. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before unrolling to add your filling.

Serving Suggestions

The cake looks amazing by itself, but you can jazz it up even more. Try pouring warm chocolate ganache over the top for a fancy look, or serve slices with cold vanilla ice cream for a nice hot-cold mix. For special times, put the cake on a long plate dusted with cocoa powder and surround it with extra chopped peanut butter cups and some fresh berries.

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Recipe FAQs

→ Does natural peanut butter work for the filling?

Sure! Just make sure it's thoroughly stirred so it doesn't end up too oily or watery.

→ How do I stop the cake from breaking while rolling?

Roll it up warm in a kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. This sets the shape and keeps cracks at bay.

→ Can I prepare this cake earlier?

Of course! Put it together the day before, keep it chilled, and dust with powdered sugar right before serving.

→ What could I use in place of mini peanut butter cups?

Chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or pieces of caramel work wonderfully instead of the mini cups.

→ Is this cake freezable?

Absolutely. Wrap it tightly in plastic, freeze for up to a month, and let it thaw overnight in the fridge before digging in.

→ How can I make this cake gluten-free?

Switch out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free baking mix. You’ll still get a light and airy cake!