Obsessed Cakes
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Donut Loaf
A soft donut loaf filled with chopped chocolate, topped with peanut butter cup streusel, melted peanut butter cups, and a little flaky salt.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Bake
- 45-90 min
- Total
- 2 hr
- Yield
- One 9x5-inch loaf
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Ingredients
Peanut Butter Cup Streusel
- 60 g (about 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
- 28 g (about 2 tablespoons + 3/4 teaspoon) granulated sugar
- 20 g (about 1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons coarse sanding sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 45 g (about 3 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon) cold butter, cubed
- 20 g (about 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon) creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 20 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)
Loaf
- 208 g (about 1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 12 g (about 1 tablespoon + 2 1/8 teaspoons) cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 140 g (about 2/3 cup + 2 teaspoons) granulated sugar
- 35 g (about 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) light brown sugar, packed
- 96 g (about 6 tablespoons + 2 1/2 teaspoons) neutral oil
- 160 g (about 1/3 cup + 5 tablespoons) plain unsweetened yogurt
- 108 g (about 7 tablespoons) milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 50 g (about 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons) chopped chocolate
Topping
- 80 g mini peanut butter cups, roughly chopped (about 9 mini peanut butter cups)
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Maldon flaky sea salt
Before Baking
- Coarse 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.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and fully line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Make 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.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, yogurt, milk, vanilla bean paste, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk just until combined and no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the chopped chocolate just until evenly distributed.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. The batter should fill the pan just over halfway full.
- Sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly over the batter, leaving some larger clusters intact.
- Sprinkle the top lightly and evenly with coarse sanding sugar just before baking.
- Bake 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.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then sprinkle the chopped peanut butter cups over the top, followed by the Maldon flaky sea salt.
- Cool in the pan for 5 more minutes, for 15 minutes total, then transfer the loaf to a wire rack.
- Allow the loaf to cool completely at room temperature.
- Chill 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.