Peanut Butter and Jelly Sanck Cake

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PEANUT BUTTER and JELLY Snack Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup creamy peanut butter, I like Smucker's natural, not freshly ground
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 Tablespoons flavorless oil, like safflower
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
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1 cup all-purpose flour, I like Heckers unbleached
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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confectioners' sugar
about 1/2 cup jam or jelly
about 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts, I like honey roasted

Make the cake:
        Move the rack to the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or coat with cooking spray an 8-inch square pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. re-coat the bottom with butter or cooking spray and set it aside.
        In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a medium-size bowl with a hand mixer, combine the butter, peanut butter and oil. Add the sugar, vanilla, egg, and buttermilk and beat on medium until smooth. Place a strainer over a medium-size bowl, and sift together all of the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients into the mixer and beat on low speed just until combined. Spoon the batter into the cake pan, and evenly spread it into the pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The top should be lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean.
        Let the cake cool in the pan. Cut into 9 pieces. Dust the squares with powdered sugar, top each piece with a spoonful of jam and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts, about 1-2 Tablespoons of each. Store in an airtight container for up to a 3 days at room temperature, or freeze for up to a month.

Makes 9 servings.      YUM!


LESSONS Learned:
1. I use an 8 inch square pan, but you could also make these in a muffin tin, each filled 3/4 full. The baking time would be less. Start checking at 25 minutes.
2. Don't use freshly ground peanut butter. But do use a natural, unsweetened one, like Smuckers natural creamy.
3. I like smooth peanut butter, but you could sub in crunchy.
4. Parchment in the bottom of the pan will help easily release the cake.
5. Don't be thrown by the pinch of cinnamon. You won't taste it. I will just help highlight the peanut butter flavor.