Has a list of recipe ingredients ever been so strange and so very frightening you were actually compelled into making it? Just to see what it tastes like? Have you ever loved an ingredient so much you’ve tried it in things maybe you shouldn’t have?
Well, there is no denying the fact that I love sauerkraut. I grew up on it and thought I had it every way possible. Apparently not.
This summer when my Mom and I were making sauerkraut I ended up with an extra jar of the store bought stuff in my pantry. It has sort of been burning a hole in my cupboard so I decided to pull it out and look and the little recipe pamphlet that was attached to the lid. Oh looky here, two recipes, one for Sweet and Sour(kraut) Chicken and one for Peanut Butter Chip Cake. What?
Cake, with sauerkraut in it? With peanut butter? That was even odd to me. However, you are just going to have to trust me on this one. The odd couple is not so odd! In fact, the cake is wonderful.
You don’t taste the kraut at all, it disappears in all the sweetness and basically is used as an ingredient to keep the cake very moist.
The Wild Boar was my first cake victim. “Here honey, have a big piece of cake.” “Mmmm, tastes like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.” “You like it?” “Yes, very much.” “It’s full of sauerkraut you know.” He stops chewing dead in his tracks and looks at me like I’m from planet Bilzzabob. He couldn’t believe it.
Next victim, my 9 year old. “Want some cake?” “Yep.” “This is good.” “It has sauerkraut in it.” Okay, he freaked for a minute then went right on eating.
I think October will be the perfect month for this cake with all the Oktoberfest celebrations going on. Kraut and Oktoberfest go hand in hand. We should change the name to Oktoberfest Kraut Cake…it sounds more exciting.
Oh yeah, the best part is this is a one bowl cake. I threw everything in my stand mixer and beat the heck out of it. No delicate mixing or weighing of ingredients. It’s so easy.
Here is the odd couple now. Bizarre!
In the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl, add all the ingredients except the chocolate chips. Beat until well blended. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spread mixture in a greased 10 x 15 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake and frost…recipe to follow at the end.
Sprinkle the cake with mini chocolate chips and salted, dry-roasted peanuts if you like.
It’s really, really good and very moist.
Time for a second piece…yum.
Peanut Butter Chip Cake or Oktoberfest Kraut Cake
Adapted from Steinfeld’s Sauerkraut
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup extra-crunchy, super chunk peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed, well-drained and finely chopped
1/2 cup mini-semi-sweet chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling on top
Salted, dry-roasted peanuts for topping
In the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl, add all the ingredients except the chocolate chips. Beat until well blended. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spread mixture in a greased 10 x 15 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake and frost. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and peanuts.
Peanut Butter Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup regular peanut butter
2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 Tablespoons boiling water
Combine all frosting ingredients. Beat until well blended and easy to spread.
One Year Ago: Morning Buzz
