PEANUT BUTTER SWIRL CAKE for an 18th birthday

          My daughter just celebrated her 18th birthday.  Wow... where has the time gone?


     I have made this Peanut Butter Swirl Cake often as either a layer cake or cupcakes, and usually for birthdays.  I cannot tell you where I found the recipe, but it was many, many years ago.  It is served here with peanut butter-chocolate ice cream. If you like peanut butter, you'll love this cake!  It is frosted with a seven minute frosting -- always a favorite of mine.  Chocolate frosting would be pretty good, too!

                                        
                         ∞ Peanut Butter Swirl Cake ∞

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups sifted cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Peanut Butter Swirl Frosting, recipe follows
1.  Cream peanut butter and butter; gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
2.  Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Mix well after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.
3.  Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans that have been lined with a disc of waxed paper.  Bake on the middle shelf of a preheated 350˚F oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of each cake and remove from pans; let cool completely on a wire rack.
4.  Spread Peanut Butter Swirl Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.  Dollop small scoops of frosting onto the top of the cake and swirl decoratively with a knife.


                               ∞ Peanut Butter Swirl Frosting ∞

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1.  Combine first 5 ingredients in top of a double boiler; beat at low speed with an electric mixer for 30 seconds or just until blended.
2.  Place over boiling water and beat constantly at high speed for 6 minutes or until stiff peaks form; remove from heat.  Add the vanilla and beat an additional 1 minute or until frosting is thick enough to spread.  Remove 1/4 cup of frosting and combine with peanut butter in small bowl, stirring well.  Set peanut butter mixture aside to swirl on top of the frosted cake.

 - Always best eaten the day it is made, the cake is still extremely good the day after, altho' the frosting will be a bit crustier (something I don't mind at all). 

                          

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