not for the faint of heart

Two years after bookmarking Pam's enticing peanut butter cup cake, I finally remembered it at the right time & was able to make it for H's birthday.  My husband, when asked what kind of cake he'd like, always responds with the same answer: anything chocolate. And he will never, ever turn away an opportunity to marry chocolate and peanut butter.  This cake is a must for anyone who's of the same mind, though be forewarned it is exceedingly indulgent and decadent, and even the most hardcore chocoholic will want to start with a very thin slice.

I made the recipe almost exactly as Pam directed, though I used a slightly different version of the cake. The cake is quite soft & crumbly, so I had to coerce the fudge & buttercream layers into concealing a multitude of craters and cracks in the outer surface.  This might work better with a sturdier cake recipe, or even a box mix.  If refrigerated, give it a good amount of time to come to room temperature before serving--my fudge layers were still pretty solid when I cut into the cake, which, coupled with the soft cake, meant everyone's plates were a mess when I served them up.

Whew. Just looking at it makes my sweet tooth ache.