While I know I ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as a kid, I don’t recall eating them frequently or loving them. We always had jam in the refrigerator – black raspberry was my favorite. I typically ate it on toast in the morning, not on a sticky PBJ.
I did go through a phase of peanut butter and jelly on crackers, which still makes more sense to me now than a sandwich. There is something about the crunch of a cracker that seriously updates the experience. Sweet and salty, crunchy and smooth. Plus, then you can pretty much call it a snack when a sandwich is almost always a meal.
These days I don’t eat either all that much and my pantry is stocked with a plethora of nut butters in various flavors from different brands. I love the butters on bananas and apples, but mostly, I bake with them. Cookies are always a go to (I baked some this week and may have had one for breakfast a couple mornings), but there is something about cake that calls my name.
This cake is everything my adult tastes want a peanut butter and jelly to be. The cake is buttery and rich without being heavy even though it is loaded with almond butter. The filling consists of jam, yes, but also amarena cherries which are like little jam bombs that explode with flavor in your mouth.
Oh and then there is the frosting. Oh this frosting with all of its smooth and creamy almond butter goodness. Each of these components is basically irresistible on their own, and I encourage you to sneak little tastes as you are assembling, but together, this cake-filling-frosting combination creates a dessert worthy of a celebration. I mean if you don’t have a celebration, it also works as a TV watching snack, breakfast, or even dinner … I won’t tell.
Almond Butter and Jelly Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
Description
An update to the childhood classic with a fluffy almond cake, jam and cherry filling, and an insanely creamy almond butter frosting.
Ingredients
Cake
2 ¼ cups paleo flour blend (2 cups almond flour, 1 ¼ cups tapioca starch, ¾ cup coconut flour) or cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder
½ cup olive oil
½ creamy almond butter
1 cup coconut sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
Filling
2/3 cup jam (I used black currant)
½ cup amarena cherries, drained
Frosting
1 cup creamy almond butter
2 tablespoons coconut butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
¼ cup unsweetened almond milk, plus more if necessary
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil two 8-inch round pans and line the bottom with parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together oil, almond butter, and sugar until well combined and lightened in color and texture. Beat in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla and espresso. Stir in half the flour, followed by half the milk. Stir in the remaining flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Finish the batter with the milk and divide evenly between the two pans. Bake about 25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Cool completely in the pans.
When ready to assemble the cake, make the frosting. In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine almond butter, coconut butter, syrup, and milk. Microwave on high in 30 second increments until mixture is melted, comes together, and is easy to spread. Stir in the vanilla, along with additional milk if the frosting is too thick.
Assemble the cake. Place one cake on the stand or platter of your choice. Spread the jam over top. Sprinkle with cherries and top with the remaining cake. spread the frosting on top and allow to set for at least an hour before slicing and serving. Cake may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Cake Blog
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
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