Peanut butter pound cake

 
                          Peanut Butter Pound Cake
 
 Recipe By     : Mimi Markofsky
 Serving Size  : 16   Preparation Time :2:00
 Categories    : Cakes
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
      1/2  cup           butter or margarine
    3      cups          flour
    1      cup           creamy peanut butter
    3      cups          sugar
    5                    eggs
      1/2  teaspoon      baking powder
      1/2  teaspoon      salt
    1      cup           milk
    2      teaspoons     vanilla extract
                         **********    GANACHE -- ********
   12      ounces        semisweet chocolate -- chopped
      3/4  cup           heavy cream
 
 
 CAKE:
 
 
 Lightly grease and flour a 10" tube or 12-cup Bundt pan.
 
 
 In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine with peanut butter.  Add sugar 
 and combine until light in color.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well 
 after each addition.  Mixture should be light and fluffy.  Add vanilla 
 extract.  In a smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add 
 flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. 
 Combine batter until it is smooth and creamy.  Pour into prepared pan.
 
 
 Place pan into COLD oven.  Set oven to 325^ and bake until the tester 
 comes out clean, about 1 hour 25 minutes.  Let cake cool in pan 30 minutes 
 before turning out onto rack.  Remove from pan and cool completely.  Cover 
 with ganache.
 
 
 GANACHE:
 
 
 Heat cream until boiling.  Pour over chocolate chips and whisk until it is 
 creamy and smooth.  Let cool for 2-3 minutes.
 
 
 Place cake on a rack and place rack over a large clean baking sheet (to 
 catch the drips).  Pour ganache over the top and let it cascade over the 
 cake, enrobing it completely. Remove rack from dirty baking sheet and 
 place it over a clean one.  Scrape up remaining ganache and reheat it, if 
 necessary, to pour over cake again if spots are missed.
 
 
 
                    
 
 
 
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 Serving Ideas : Garnish with chopped peanuts sprinkled over top of cake.
 
 NOTES : Freezes well.