Secret Recipe Club: Peanut Butter Fun Snack Cake

One of my favorite things about the world of food blogging are the various groups I've joined over the years. There is always much fun to be had discovering new blogs, trying new recipes, and making new friends. Some of my closest friends are friends I've made through bloggging. Well, I've gone and joined another group called The Secret Recipe Club (SRC). It's like a virtual recipe swap with another blogger, except I'll be assigned a different food blog each month, and the participants have no idea who is cooking something from their blog until reveal day. Sounds fun, right? I think so. The blog I was given this month was Things I Make (for Dinner) written by Sarah.

After reading through Sarah's blog about the recipes she prepares for herself and her hubby, I had a list of recipes I wanted to try: Shirley Temple Cupcakes, Pineapple Sangria, Peanut Butter Crunch Cake, Pecan Pie Muffins, Monkey Muffins, Pork Fried Rice, and Chicken Gyros. I was leaning heavily towards the Chicken Gyros because I haven't had one in like 15+ years, but I decided to ask Hubby and kiddies for their opinions as to what I should make. As soon as I said the words "peanut butter" they were sold. So, Peanut Butter Crunch Cake it was! But those Chicken Gyros are high on my list of things to make.

Oh, where do I start with this cake? I've always loved peanut butter, but it's been way too long since I've made (and eaten) a peanut butter dessert. I had forgotten how much I love peanut butter desserts. This snack cake reminded me of one of my favorite cookies, Nutter Butters, that I haven't had since I moved to Mexico 13 years ago. I couldn't stop tasting the cake batter, it was that good.

I did have to make one change to this cake. The original recipe calls for chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, but since I don't have access to those I decided to substitute plain m&m candies. The result was a major hit with my family. Jack, my youngest, has already requested I make this cake again for El Día del Niño (Children's Day) in April, and Hope and Nick, my teenagers, have both requested this cake for their birthdays. Thank you, Sarah, for sharing this recipe!

Peanut Butter Crunch Cake
(Recipe adapted from Things I Make for Dinner & Taste of Home)

Ingredients: 

• 1 box yellow cake mix 
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup water 
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil 
• 3 bags plain m&m's 
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish. 

In a large bowl combine the box of cake mix, with the peanut butter, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Remove 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture; set aside. Add the water, eggs, and vegetable oil to the remaining crumb mixture and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into baking dish. 

Stir in the m&m's and chopped pecans into the reserved crumb mixture. Sprinkle crumb mixture over cake batter. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Enjoy!

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