[Inez] Triple layer chocolate-peanut butter cake w/chocolate cream cheese frosting

Every year at Haverford there's a Senior Auction where seniors auction off things, events, or favors to raise money for Senior Week at the end of the year. Ella and I donated a triple layer chocolate-peanut butter cake with cream cheese frosting. It went for $45!

I have to confess that we made the cakes yesterday and it didn't occur to me till this morning to take pictures. As you can see, we had to get a little creative with the baking pans, because we were going for a tiered effect.

Then, true to form, I completely forgot to photograph the frosting-making process, and only remembered about my camera when I was 2/3 done frosting the cakes. Whoops!

The frosting is a family recipe that I feel a little sacrilegious sharing, but since it was my mom who initially requested that we post recipes, I'll do it. It's really simple:

6 oz. bittersweet bakers chocolate

1 package cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 tablespoons confectioners sugar

1 cup whipping cream

Melt the chocolate slowly on a double boiler. Whip the cream cheese, add vanilla and 4 T of the sugar. Whip to combine. When chocolate is partially cooled (not hot to the touch), beat into the cream cheese. Whip the cream with the remaining 2 T of sugar. Fold the whipped cream (patiently!) into the cream cheese mixture. If necessary, refrigerate for 10-15 minutes before frosting the cake. Makes enough frosting for a double layer cake (we made a 1.5 recipe).

Ella felt inspired, so she whipped up some more cream cheese with sugar to add some decoration.

Finished product!