Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Cup Cake Recipe

Hold on to your hats--this is a good one!

In my mind, there is no better pairing than peanut butter and chocolate. 

I have perfected the eating of the peanut butter cup---I take my time and eat all the chocolate first, and then eat the naked lump of peanut butter.

It's the little things make me happy. 

This pudding cake makes me happy!
So you should make it.

The directions sound complicated, but I know you can do it.

I used a 4-quart slow cooker, and the batter fit perfectly, and I was really happy with how thick the cake turned out. 

If you only have a 6-quart, I'd put an oven-safe casserole dish all the way into your slow cooker, and load the ingredients into it. 

If the cake puffs up and overflows a bit while cooking (I don't think it will), it's okay, because the goo will stay in your slow cooker.

The Ingredients.
serves 8


1 cup all-purpose flour (I used Pamela's Baking Mix)
1 cup sugar (divided. this is important, don't just start dumping, read on!)
1 teaspoon baking powder (even though Pamela's has baking powder in it, I used this amount)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (unless you're a rebel. then use chunky)
1/2 cup milk (I used fat free cow's. to keep it light. HA!)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water

The Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker coated well with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.
In the microwave, melt peanut butter for about 30 seconds, and then add to the mix along with milk, oil, and vanilla. 

Stir really well to combine.
Spread this mixture into the bottom of your slow cooker.

In a separate bowl, mix together cocoa powder, the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1 cup boiling water (be careful!) 

Pour this evenly over the peanut butter batter in your cooker.

Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours, or until the top has set and an inserted toothpick (into the cake--underneath the cake is molten chocolate) comes out clean. 

Let the cake sit uncovered in an unplugged crockpot for about 20 minutes, then serve warm in dessert bowls.

Melted Chocolate inside of a moist and delicious peanut butter cake. This is just like you'd imagine a Reeses Peanut Butter cake to taste!


The Verdict.

If you like peanut butter with your chocolate, or chocolate with your peanut butter (best ad campaign EVER), you will love this cake. The peanut butter cake floats to the top (totally trippy), leaving a layer of molten chocolate gooeyness underneath.


like peanut butter?

peanut butter brownies
peanut butter pork
peanut (not brittle) candy not peanut butter. but SO tasty.
peanut butter fondue
African Peanut Soup
chocolate frito candy to die for.

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Posted by: Stephanie O'Dea | A Year of Slow Cooking at September 27, 2016

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What they say about this article

  1. This sounds good. But does a 1/2 tsp of peanut butter really provide a peanut butter taste?

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  2. I can't imagine not liking this! Chocolate Peanut butter mix is the absolute BEST! I can't wait to try this, thanks again for an awesome recipe. I post many of your recipes on my blog, I so love my crockpot!

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  3. I'm a seasoned PB+Choc eater as well and I have to say, these are ingenious!

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  4. Thanks for getting this posted so fast. I could have eaten half the pantry trying to deal with this craving.

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  5. WOW!!!! As soon as I am not on a diet, I'm going to try this! ha ha!

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  6. Are you kidding me? I had no idea you could make anything like this in a crock pot. I'm so excited to make this, especially since peanut butter and chocolate is my husband's favorite flavor combination ever.

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  7. ACK! that's what I get for nursing and typing!
    1/2 CUP of PB, not a teaspoon.
    I've fixed it! xoxo

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  8. Question, should we use a self-rising flour or bisquick or something like that--since Pamela's baking mix has all those extra ingredients?

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  9. Hi Cam,
    we happen to be a gluten free family, so I use Pamela's Baking Mix as my all-purpose flour. If you do not need to worry about gluten, go ahead and use a traditional All Purpose Flour. The recipe I tweaked called for regular ol' AP flour.

    xox steph

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  10. Anonymous4/22/2010

    Oh YUMMO, I'm going to put this in my recipe folder to make. I've got beef stew brewing in it now or I would be whippin this up right now. I enjoy, so much visiting your blog.

    Chris

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  11. I have everything on the ingreds list so I just may make this tomorrow. It looks yummy!

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  12. I make a similar version of this (sans peanut butter) called hot fudge sundae cake. For that one, I don't do the second round of mixing, just sprinkle (brown) sugar, cocoa on top then pour on the hot water. I still get awesome cake and pudding.

    On an unrealted note, I'm pregnant and without an oven for the next 6 weeks (kitchen remodel). HORRAY for cakes in the crockpot!

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  13. I am new to your blog. I have a crock pot and I enjoy using it when I find a recipe I like. The problem is many of the recipes I've tried have lacked flavor (disclaimer - I haven't tried your recipes - yet!)...so disappointing after smelling the food all day! Do you have any advice for adding flavor? Maybe I need to season it at the end?

    I am excited to try your recipes especially this one - it looks absolutely delicious and my family loves peanut butter and chocolate. Thanks for the great recipe and this fun blog!

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  14. okay, that just sounds absolutely delicious! - www.delightfulcountrycookin.com

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  15. Sounds wonderful and thanks for the other recipes too! Yum....

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  16. sounds yummy! Oh and I just read the new issue of All You Magazine and thought it was so cool that your website is featured in a story on crockpot cooking! Way to go!

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  17. I never knew you could put a small oven-proof dish inside your slow cooker! Wow! You are the slow cooker queen for sure! Thanks :)

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  18. Anonymous4/22/2010

    oh no! I can already tell this going to be dangerous!

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  19. Oh have mercy! I see an all crockpot meal coming on with this as the grand dessert!!! I don't use my small cooker very often so this is perfect!
    Thanks for sharing it.
    Blessings,
    Kim

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  20. I just threw it into my crockpot. Your recipe doesn't say how much salt so I added 1/2 tsp. Hope I didn't screw it up because I am SO looking forward to it. I am dairy free right now so I used rice milk. I can't imagine that would change it much?

    Thanks for the awesome recipe!

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  21. I've never heard of making a cake in a crock pot. I have to try this!

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  22. Random but I am happy to see your Kirkland vanilla. People see my kirkland sized vanilla and think I am crazy. Looking forward to trying this recipe!

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  23. This would be great for my underweight toddlers! I wonder if sunflower butter would work as a sub for the peanut butter? One of my kids is allergic to the real stuff.

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  24. Wow, does this really not have any eggs? Yay! My allergic-to-eggs son is going to love this! :)

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  25. Hey, you got your chocolate in my peanut butter! My favorite too. This looks and sounds really good.

    So which one are you, the peanut butter or the chocolate candy bar?

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  26. Oh my, I'm going to try this, only I don't use fat-free anything since it's got fake stuff in it, so instead I'll be a rebel and use real cream, Mmmmm! The only other tweak I'd give it is to use butter instead of canola oil. My kids will freak over this cake!

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  27. OMG I must make this and I do believe I have all the ingredients. diet? what diet?

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  28. Looks delicious Steph....Since I do low carb I'm going to try this with half Carbquick and half almond flour and Splenda granulated. If it turns out good I'll let you know.

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  29. I don't want to offend anyone (esp. you Steph) by asking this but how might I tweak this recipe to make it in the oven? Just asking for time's sake. Sounds delightful!

    Also, does the Pamela's mix have xanthan gum in it already so you don't have to add? If so, could you sub. cup for cup for a non-gluten-free recipe??

    Thanks!

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  30. does Pamela's baking mix have xantham gum already in it? i don't think my gfree mix does.

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  31. Steph--You had me at the title on this one! After all I just made flourless peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies for a gluten talk this evening. ;-) I'm siding with Kelly though and going for true dairy (milk and butter). Will let you know, dear! :-)

    Shirley

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  32. oooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh myyyyyyyyyyyyyyy....I'm in love

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  33. Oh my......I'm drooling!!!!

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  34. Kristin4/23/2010

    I would like to Thank You for giving me sweet peanut buttery dreams last night....seriously I printed this recipe and had a dream about it last night, I was spooning it out of the crock and onto a plate to serve, I could literally smell and taste it in my dream. I guess I had the true meaning of Sweet Dreams last night.

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  35. OMG! Chocolate and Peanut Butter are my fav! I have all of the ingredients, so I will be making this today! It will be the perfect thing to cheer up my daughter, who is getting her spacer put on her teeth this afternoon. Thanks so much for your wonderful recipe! :)

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  36. How cool is that? Yum! Except I cannot imagine waiting for 2-4 HOURS while the house fills with chocolatey peanut butter aroma. I can barely wait long enough for brownies to bake in the oven! Ha.

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  37. DO you think could I double the recipe for my big crockpot? Think it would come out?
    I don't make anything but enormous quantities :)~
    thank you!

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  38. Hi Noel!
    I don't know for sure, since I haven't done it myself, but I would think it would work just fine. Check doneness after 2 hours, and then every 20-30 minutes.
    Please let me know if it works----what fun!!

    xoxo steph

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  39. Stephanie ~ I just made this. Wow! It came out great! The smell drove me so crazy that I couldn't wait the 20 minutes for it to cool before taking a bite. Oops. Major roof-of-the-mouth burn! I promise to stick to the rules next time. LOL!

    Now, I have one question. There's only three of us and I will have leftovers. How do I store it and how do I re-heat it? I'm afraid if I dig it all out of the crock, it won't be as pretty! Ideas???

    Thanks! :)

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  40. Oh gosh does this sound good!! Between your cookbook (which I just got and love) and your blog, I'll be crockpot set for life, thank you!!

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  41. Steph - you had me at hello!!!!
    One question though, you say you used Pamela baking mix, but the picture you included shows Pamelas pancake mix, just want to make sure I got the right thing going here! By the way, my bottom thanks you for this recipe in advance, LOL
    Stephanie GF 8/05

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  42. Lisa, I'm so glad you liked it! I served the cake right out of the crock, and put the leftovers in a pyrex dish. I didn't reheat the leftovers, but if I was going to, I'd just nuke them for 20-30 seconds. You're right, it isn't going to look quite as nice, but it'll be delicious!!

    Stephanie, the pancake mix is the same as the baking mix---the bag says both, it just got covered up by the other ingredients.

    xoxo steph

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  43. Anonymous4/23/2010

    I am a southern girl, so I cut out some of the ingredients by using SR flour. I, too, used a stick of butter, instead of the canola oil. My husband nearly had half of the crockpot cleaned out before DINNER! Thanks for the deliciousness!

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  44. wow - sounds too good to be true!

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  45. This looks absolutely delicious!!! I need to find a reason to make it so that I don't eat the entire thing by myself.

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  46. Made this today, but we have major allergies so I used rice flour, corn free baking powder and soy milk. Turned out pretty good!!

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  47. This recipe speaks to my soul.

    I will be making this immediately, if not sooner!

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  48. Anonymous4/24/2010

    OMG, that looks divine. I love pb and chocolate together :)

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  49. The moment I read this post I knew I had to make this! My crockpot is one of the ancient large round ones (probably 6 quart - no idea, really), and I've not got any glass or pyrex containers that would fit inside it, so I just dumped all the stuff directly into it. It finished baking in about an hour (probably because it was spread out across more surface area). It is only through sheer force of will that my husband and I have not eaten the entire thing straight from the crockpot. Yum!

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  50. I love you! I made this last night for dessert and it was ready early, I ended up eating half of it while I made dinner. YUM!!!!!!!

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  51. We tried this on Saturday and it was a big hit. :-) Thank you for sharing it!

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  52. For those that have made it...would you say it took closer to 2 hrs or 4 hrs. That just seems like such a HUGE range of time for something I want to serve warm. Thanks!

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  53. Hi Tami,
    this took 3 hours in my 4-quart. If you're using a 6 quart, it will cook much quicker.

    If using a 4, check after 2 hours, but it will probably need another hour or so.
    If you have a crock that turns to warm, you can flip it to warm after cooking. If you don't have one like that, I think it'll stay pretty warm for a good hour after cooking.

    --steph

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  54. Tami - I had to use a deep casserole dish inside my 6 qt. cooker and I found that it took 4 hours. Next time, I'm going to double it so we can have MORE!!! So good with vanilla ice cream!

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  55. This. Is. Perfect. for my sister in law's birthday. Perfect time, perfect recipe, all of it. Thank you!!!

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  56. Amber Fluhr4/27/2010

    I made this tonight and we all loved it!! Definitely a winner, especially if you like desserts that are moist but not too sweet. I think next time I will put a small handful of chocolate chips in the cake batter for extra melted chocolate. (I like my desserts really rich) I liked how I had all of these ingredients on hand. :)

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  57. I recently started a recipe blog. My purpose is to find new recipes and add to our family's meal menu. I've never heard of cake in the crock pot. This is certainly new to me. I posted your recipe and plan on trying it this week, www.mybiscuitsareburning.blogspot.com
    Thanks for the recipe. I can't wait to try it!

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  58. Anonymous4/30/2010

    Just dropping in to say this recipe looks divine - I'll make it after I lose my baby-weight. ;)
    And I bought your book at Borders and that's how I found your blog. Love it!

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  59. Hi Stephanie, will this work with natural (i.e., oil on top) peanut butter only or do you prefer conventional pb? The picture looks like its the natural kind, but most baking recipes call for the kind with all the added 'stuff'. Thanks in advance for your reply-I plan to make it this weekend.

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  60. This looks amazing. I am making it for my next potluck!

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  61. hampton crabber4/30/2010

    my delicious pot is in the cooling off phase and boy it smells good in the whole house. i just hope my 4qt hasn't burned it. it's a little dark around the edges, but it will still be eaten, don't you worry! redi whip is ready!!!!

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  62. hampton crabber4/30/2010

    i will also make the frito chocolates..pms here i come!

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  63. Hi Rosie,

    I use all-natural peanut butter. I miss Skippy, I really do, but can't bring myself to buy it any more. :-)

    any you have on hand will be just fine, I'm sure.

    xxo steph

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  64. I actually made this for my birthday last week. :>) I think it got a bit overdone, as we felt the all-chocolate version I made a while ago was better. However, we all liked it better the next day, so all wasn't lost by any means. I linked to this on my weekly roundup - thanks for sharing!

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  65. Rishakia5/03/2010

    I wondered what's wrong with Skippy that you won't buy it? I made this in my 6 qt it cooked for 1 and a half hours. The peanut butter cake was a little gooey in the center but no eggs so it's not a big deal. Wonderful!

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  66. Hi Rishakia,

    Oh I LOVE Skippy! I don't buy it because of the added sugar, and the natural we buy just has peanuts and salt. I figure since the kids don't know what they're missing, I don't want to buy it since they eat the natural just fine.
    When they move out though... I may just sit down with a spoon and a jar of Skippy! :-)

    xxxox steph

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  67. I'm making this right this second. Here's the only difference: I brought it to work.

    So me and a coworker brought in crockpots. I brought in all the ingredients, separated into plastic baggies. Mixed them at work, and now they are baking.

    I'm *hoping* that we will be uplifted mid-afternoon by the smells of peanut butter and chocolate!

    Thank you... and I'll let you know how my coworkers like it ;)

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  68. Anonymous5/10/2010

    Man, my kids will LOVE this. Thanks!!

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  69. Made this, oh yes it is good! Will definitely make again.

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  70. I made this tonight in my 4 qt round and it turned out terrible! I'm not sure what happened. Maybe cooked it too long? I cooked it for 2 1/2 hrs. The cake was VERY dry and there was NO molten chocolate on the bottom :( I have made many of your recipies and loved them but this one didn't work for me.

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  71. YUM. YUM. YUM. I wish I had all the ingredients to make this tonight...my mouth is practically watering.

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  72. I did finally make this the other week...doubled everything. It took about 5.5 hours so I was sure glad I had started it early! It wasn't bad, but it hardly had much peanut butter flavor. It was, though, perfectly moist and chocolaty, not too sweet, satisfying...yum yum yum
    So, if I made it again I'd add a lot more peanut butter & cross my fingers I don't throw off the moisture & balance!
    Thank you for a yummy desert Stephanie

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  73. Yesterday was a two crockpot day for me. One with roast and fixin's, and one with this. I have made several things off the blog, but having a newly diagnosed celiac family member this is the first gluten free thing I have made from your site. I must say I adore you. The whole family liked this cake. Unfortunately the top of mine burned around the edges a little but the rest was soooo yummy. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing such wonderful gluten free recipes with us.
    Shannon

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  74. I ALWAYS mess up baking. We just finished eating this and it turned out great. I will experiment with more crock pot baking in the future. My boyfriend's brother just said it was the best cake he has ever had. Thanks for the great recipe.

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  75. This looks super good! I love chocolate and peanut butter. Just saw your baking mix and had to tell you, in case you don't know already, Bisquick is making a gluten free Bisquick mix this summer! Thought you might want to know. :-)

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  76. This was awesome! We had dessert first since we have a kindgergarten graduate at our house. YUMM!

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  77. this dessert was the first of many recipes i will try from your site. I bought a 4 qt crockpot yesterday and our family LOVED this treat!! thank you for the crockpot inspiration. today we do the tilapia in foil packets. I have shopped for and planned the next 2 weeks with your recipes and cant wait! thanks

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  78. this was SO good, and SO rich!! My kids gobbled up every bite. I did have to use my 6 quart crock, but it didn't make a difference in taste. It was still divine! It did only cook for about 1.5 hours due to the size of my crock. But no complaints here! The faster the better~

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  79. Made this last week. It was very good - and now we are about to make it again with a little tweak. I am going to replace the water in the chocolate sauce with some really good strong espresso. It will cut the sweetness of the cake a little, I think.

    Can't wait for round two!!

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  80. JessicaHK12/20/2010

    I made this over the weekend and it was delicious! The peanut butter part wasn't very cake-y, but who cares. It was like a wonderful, pudding-y dessert. I thought I could stop at one serving, but that didn't last long.

    The leftovers are good cold. Tonight I'll try warming them up.

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  81. TwiGaMeG2/03/2011

    Trader Joe's offers a peanut flour, which has twice the protein and 1/2 the fat of peanut butter. And of course it's gluten free. Any thoughts on using this in place of the PB? Do you think it would work out OK (what with ratios, etc.). Thanks.

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  82. Hi,
    Fat guy here... This was not good and not bad. I said "not good" first because that is what this was. It reminded me of my granny's depression era cake. The "cake" tastes ok, kinda good,sweet and that is it. The rest of the story? Very little chocolate flavor, no peanut butter flavor. Sugar, flour, oil and "Baked" bread. Tastes sweet, but not like anything but what a depression era kid would rave about.

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  83. I have a 6qt. & thought about increasing the ingredients, how much should I increase each? Doing this for Mother's Day/ hubby's birthday :)

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