Chocolate & Peanut Butter Buckeye Cake

2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups sugar

6 eggs

1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup + 2 Tbsp milk

8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup milk, divided

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Pinch salt

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, set aside.
In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.
In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and peanut butter on high until creamy, 2 minutes. With the machine on, gradually add the sugar and beat, scraping the bowl, until fluffy, 8 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl. Beat in the vanilla. At low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk. Mix until smooth.
Pour into prepared pans cake pans and spread evenly. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean; invert and let cool on a rack.

While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. Microwave chocolate with two tablespoons of milk in microwavable bowl on medium-high for 1-2 minutes; stirring halfway through the cooking time. Stir until smooth and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together shortening, butter and vanilla. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at time, beating on low speed. Add remaining two tablespoons of milk and cooled chocolate. Beat until light and fluffy.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, salt, and vanilla together until smooth. On low speed, mix in the powdered sugar until just incorporated, followed by the vanilla and milk. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until light and very fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add more powdered sugar or milk if necessary to reach desired consistency.
Place one cake, rounded side up, on a cake stand. Slice off rounded top. Spread cake with 1 cup of chocolate frosting. Top with the remaining cake, round side up - do not slice off top. Spread with the remaining chocolate frosting.
Place the peanut butter frosting on top in the center, and spread into a circle, leaving about 1-2 inches at the edge to resemble a buckeye.

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