peanut butter & jelly snack cake

I skipped last week's Baked Sunday Mornings recipe for Peanut Butter Bars because, although I was totally craving a peanut butter and jelly dessert, the recipe, with it's pie crust, peanut butter mousse filling and oaty topping just didn't appeal to me. What I really wanted, was this:

A cakey peanut butter bar drizzled with strawberry jam and topped with chopped peanuts for some crunch. And it didn't disappoint! The textures in this cake are totally my thing, and I could eat an entire pan!

Plus, it dirtied exactly two bowls! Did not have to spend an afternoon washing dishes like I would have if I had made the Baked recipe.

Peanut butter & jelly snack cake
recipe adapted from Dawn Finicane

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 cup peanut butter

1 jar of strawberry or raspberry jam/jelly

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl mix the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Beat in the softened butter until mixture resembles wet sand. Do not over beat. 

Remove between ¾ - 1 cup of the mixture to a medium bowl and set aside.
Add the buttermilk and the egg to the remaining mixture. Pour into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Take the remaining flour mixture that was set aside and mix in the cup of peanut butter.
Drop the peanut butter mixture onto the cake by tablespoons, spacing it evenly. Do not press the mixture into the batter; just let it sit as is.
Bake for about 30 -35 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 

When the cake has cooled slightly, warm the jelly in the microwave and drizzle it over the cake.  Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

I don't know if it's the weather or the week vacation that makes me want to bake, photograph and blog again. It was so nice taking pictures outside today! Hoping to get blogging regularly again soon!