Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Donut Loaf
Be the first to reviewThis loaf is for the peanut butter cup people. It is full of chocolate, peanut butter, crisp streusel, and just enough salt to keep every bite balanced.
The topping is generous on purpose. The chopped peanut butter cups soften over the warm loaf, while the streusel keeps a little crunch.
It is rich, soft, and very easy to keep going back to, especially if chocolate and peanut butter is your thing.
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The Halloween Candy I Still Choose
No matter how forgetful you may be, you always remember your favorite Halloween candy. Mine was Reese's peanut butter cups. This donut loaf is my favorite thing I have baked with them - and yes, Reese's makes an option I can use.
My husband is not a big peanut butter cup fan. He is more of a Butterfinger guy, so when I make this loaf, I get excited knowing I might have it to myself. The Maldon salt on top makes the whole thing feel a little more grown-up.
I freeze slices, warm them up, and serve them with ice cream. If you ever freeze this loaf, try a big bite of streusel straight from the freezer. Honestly, I should make that streusel on its own - and I hope you agree.
Ingredient notes
Key ingredients
Mini peanut butter cups
Chop them into a mix of small and medium pieces. Smaller pieces tuck into the streusel, while larger pieces on top melt into glossy pockets after baking.
Creamy peanut butter
A small spoonful in the streusel brings peanut butter flavor into the crumb topping without making it greasy or heavy.
Chopped chocolate
Chopped chocolate leaves soft pockets of chocolate throughout the loaf. Keep a mix of smaller and larger pieces rather than chopping it all finely.
Maldon flaky sea salt
The flaky salt is not just garnish here. It cuts the sweetness from the candy and makes the peanut butter and chocolate taste fuller.
Coarse sanding sugar
Modern Mountain Baking Company White Sparkling Sugar is my go-to sanding sugar. I get it on Amazon, and it adds a crisp, sparkly finish without melting into the top.
Brands I used for this recipe
These are preferences, not requirements. If you choose the non-dairy route, these are the products I test with. Dairy equivalents can be used at the same listed amounts and temperatures.
Forager Unsweetened Plain Yogurt
The plain unsweetened yogurt I use for this loaf.
Silk Original Unsweet
The unsweetened soy milk I use for this loaf.
Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks
The butter sticks I use for the streusel.
Rising Star Baking Supply Vanilla Bean Paste
The vanilla bean paste I use, linked to the 4-ounce Walmart bottle.
Testing notes
Why this works
Why there is apple cider vinegar
The vinegar reacts with the baking soda and helps give the loaf lift. It also balances the sweetness a little. You should not taste vinegar in the finished loaf.
Why room-temperature ingredients matter
Room-temperature yogurt and milk blend more smoothly with the oil and sugar. This helps the batter come together evenly, which gives the loaf a softer crumb and a more even bake.
Inside the recipe
How It All Comes Together
From Instagram
Watch the reel
Watch the chocolate donut loaf get layered with peanut butter cup streusel and topped with softened peanut butter cups.
Open the reelSmall things that matter
Tips for the best loaf
This loaf only needs about 15 minutes in the pan before transferring. The extra chopped peanut butter cups go on while the loaf is still warm so they soften slightly.
Troubleshooting
If This Happens
The streusel feels soft or greasy
Return it to the refrigerator while you finish the batter. Keeping the butter and peanut butter mixture cold helps the topping bake into distinct crumbs.
The center is not ready when the top looks done
Tent the loaf loosely with foil and keep baking until a tester inserted into the cake comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
The peanut butter cups melted into one layer
Keep the pieces roughly chopped and add the final portion after baking. The warm loaf will soften them without making every piece disappear.
It is taking a long time to bake
Every oven is different, and a deep loaf can need more time. Make sure to keep the oven door closed instead of checking frequently. Then use the tester and internal temperature as your guide.
Before you slice
Texture and serving notes
Serve the loaf warm for the softest crumb, or chill it fully for a denser, more traditional cake-donut bite.
For cleaner slices, let the chocolate and peanut butter topping set before cutting. About 30 minutes in the refrigerator helps, or let it set on the counter if you prefer it warmer.
Keep it good
Storage
Fridge
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Serve
For the best texture, let chilled slices come back toward room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQ
Questions that come up
Will it turn out the same if I use volume measurements?
Often, yes - but not always. Flour and other ingredients can weigh differently from one cup to the next depending on how they are filled or packed, and even humidity can make a difference. That is why I recommend using a scale when you can. These loaves are easy to make, but their ratios are precise. Baking ingredients are expensive, and there is nothing more frustrating than a loaf that does not turn out as expected. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but weighing gives you the closest match to the recipe I tested.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, so I cannot guarantee the same texture, rise, or structure. If you would like to experiment, a cup-for-cup (1:1) gluten-free baking blend intended to replace all-purpose flour is the best place to start. Results may differ from the recipe as written.
More donut loaves to try
- Prep
- 25 min
- Bake
- 45-90 min
- Total
- 2 hr
- Yield
- One 9x5-inch loaf
Measurement note
For the closest match to the recipe I tested, use grams. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but cups can vary, so I cannot guarantee the exact same result when measuring by volume.
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Cup Streusel
- 60 g all-purpose flour60 g (about 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
- 28 g granulated sugar28 g (about 2 tablespoons + 3/4 teaspoon) granulated sugar
- 20 g light brown sugar, packed20 g (about 1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons coarse sanding sugar2 teaspoons coarse sanding sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 45 g cold butter, cubed45 g (about 3 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon) cold butter, cubed
- 20 g creamy peanut butter20 g (about 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon) creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 20 g mini chocolate chips20 g (about 1 tablespoon + 2 1/2 teaspoons) mini chocolate chips
- 52 g mini peanut butter cups, roughly chopped (about 6 mini peanut butter cups)52 g mini peanut butter cups, roughly chopped (about 6 mini peanut butter cups)
Loaf
- 208 g all-purpose flour208 g (about 1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 12 g cornstarch12 g (about 1 tablespoon + 2 1/8 teaspoons) cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 140 g granulated sugar140 g (about 2/3 cup + 2 teaspoons) granulated sugar
- 35 g light brown sugar, packed35 g (about 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) light brown sugar, packed
- 96 g neutral oil96 g (about 6 tablespoons + 2 1/2 teaspoons) neutral oil
- 160 g plain unsweetened yogurt160 g (about 1/3 cup + 5 tablespoons) plain unsweetened yogurt
- 108 g milk108 g (about 7 tablespoons) milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 50 g chopped chocolate50 g (about 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons) chopped chocolate
Topping
- 80 g mini peanut butter cups, roughly chopped (about 9 mini peanut butter cups)80 g mini peanut butter cups, roughly chopped (about 9 mini peanut butter cups)
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Maldon flaky sea salt1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Maldon flaky sea salt
Before Baking
- Coarse sanding sugar, for sprinklingCoarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling
Pan used
I personally prefer a light-colored aluminum pan for these loaves. Here is the one I use. Not sponsored. I don't earn a commission from this link.
Glass holds heat longer, so the edges can overbake before the center is done. If you use glass, loosely tent the loaf with foil early, as soon as the top starts to brown. The foil helps protect the top, but it does not stop the sides or bottom from baking too quickly.
Removing the parchment
Carefully lift the loaf onto a wire rack and remove the parchment from underneath. I carefully flip the loaf onto its side, then turn it upside down onto my forearm so I can peel away the parchment without damaging the loaf.
Instructions
- 1Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and fully line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- 2Make the streusel. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, sanding sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter, peanut butter, and vanilla bean paste. Work together until crumbly with a mix of small crumbs and larger clusters. Fold in the mini chocolate chips and chopped peanut butter cups. Refrigerate while preparing the batter.
- 3In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, yogurt, milk, vanilla bean paste, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
- 4Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk just until combined and no dry streaks remain.
- 5Fold in the chopped chocolate just until evenly distributed.
- 6Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. The batter should fill the pan just over halfway full.
- 7Sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly over the batter, leaving some larger clusters intact.
- 8Sprinkle the top lightly and evenly with coarse sanding sugar just before baking.
- 9Bake for 45 minutes. Depending on your oven, the total baking time may extend to 90 minutes. Use the listed doneness cues rather than the clock alone.
- 10
Before you take the loaf out
Baking time is a guide, not a deadline.
Check the center: Insert a skewer or toothpick into the cake in the center, avoiding the streusel layer.
Ready to come out: The dome is set, the streusel is crisp, and the tester comes out clean or with moist crumbs. No wet batter.
Keep baking: Thick, paste-like batter: bake 3-5 minutes more. Wet batter: bake 7-10 minutes more. Then test the center again.
The 205-210°F (96-99°C) range is an extra check. Batter on the tester still means keep baking, even at that temperature.
An underbaked center can collapse as the loaf cools.
- 11Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then sprinkle the chopped peanut butter cups over the top, followed by the Maldon flaky sea salt.
- 12Cool in the pan for 5 more minutes, for 15 minutes total, then transfer the loaf to a wire rack.
- 13Allow the loaf to cool completely at room temperature.
- 14Chill for about 30 minutes, or until the center and topping feel set enough for clean slices. If you do not want to wait on the chill, let it set on the counter and serve it warmer.
Meet the baker
Angela Heckler
Angela Heckler is the recipe developer, baker, and photographer behind Obsessed Cakes. Her Old-Fashioned Donut Loaf series is a growing collection of cake-donut-inspired loaves with soft, deeply moist crumbs, buttery streusel, and crackly glaze. Angela develops and tests every recipe in her Arizona kitchen. Follow Obsessed Cakes on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
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