Puppy Love

We celebrated a milestone birthday this week in our house. Ace turned ten on Monday. Yes, Ace is one of our mini dachshunds. Yes, we had a little party. We are awesome like that, you know.

The dinner menu on Sunday night included Chicken Fried Chicken, Buttermilk Garlic Smashed Potatoes, Cream Gravy, Corn in Butter Sauce, and Buttermilk Biscuits. No, there wasn't anything green on the table. It was a heart attack waiting to happen kind of meal, and almost everyone cleaned their plates...well, except Ace and Sissy. I didn't share the chicken with the pups. They gnawed on Jumbones that night.

For dessert, I focused on Ace's love of peanut butter and baked a Peanut Butter Sheet Cake. The humans at the table had their slices drizzled with Chocolate Glaze for that famous chocolate and peanut butter combination. Since chocolate isn't good for dogs, Ace and his sister, Sissy, devoured their cake without the glaze. Given how quickly their shares disappeared, I don't think that they found it to be a detriment, though.

This cake is very dense and rich with an intense peanut butter flavor. Peanut butter lovers will find it to be heaven. The Chocolate Glaze is the icing on the cake, so to speak. I think it enhances the cake well as the flavors dance together with each bite. Peanut Butter Sheet Cake with Chocolate Glaze was the perfect expression of puppy love for Ace's tenth birthday.

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

(adapted from Tasty Kitchen)

Cake:

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup water

1 cup peanut butter (I used Creamy Jif)

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup peanut butter (again, Creamy Jif was my choice)

6 teaspoons heavy cream

4 cups powdered sugar

Cake:
In a large bowl, mix sugar, baking soda, flour and salt. Set aside.
Combine butter, water and peanut butter in a heavy saucepan and bring to boil.
Pour over flour mixture.
Add milk, vanilla and eggs. Mix.
Pour into a greased and floured jelly roll pan.
Bake at 400F degrees for 20 minutes.
Frosting:
Bring butter, peanut butter and milk to boil in saucepan.
Add powdered sugar.
Spread warmed frosting over cooled cake. (Serves 24)

Chocolate Glaze

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons white corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a heavy pot over medium heat, melt chocolate with butter, heavy cream, and corn syrup.
Stir in vanilla.
Beat in powdered sugar.
(May add more cream or milk to achieve desired consistency.)
Drizzle over frosted Peanut Butter Sheet Cake to serve.