Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Roll Cake

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Roll Cake
Ingredients:
For the Cake:

1 box (about 15 oz) of chocolate cake mix (or use homemade chocolate cake recipe)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Peanut Butter Filling:

1 cup creamy peanut butter (preferably unsweetened)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Ganache:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate chips for a sweeter ganache)
For Decoration (optional):

6-8 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chopped (for garnish)
Extra powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions:
1. Make the Chocolate Cake:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan (or baking sheet with raised edges) with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper with non-stick spray or butter.
In a large bowl, prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the package instructions (usually mixing the cake mix with eggs, water, oil, and vanilla). Stir until well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and spread it evenly.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t overbake, as you want the cake to remain soft for rolling.
2. Roll the Cake:
Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. While it's cooling, prepare a clean kitchen towel by sprinkling it with powdered sugar (this helps prevent the cake from sticking).
When the cake is still warm but cool enough to handle, turn it out onto the prepared towel, and gently peel off the parchment paper.
Starting from one short edge, carefully roll the cake up with the towel inside. Let it cool completely in the towel. This will help the cake hold its shape when you unroll it later.
3. Make the Peanut Butter Filling:
While the cake is cooling, make the peanut butter filling. In a large bowl, beat together the creamy peanut butter and softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to beat until well combined.
Slowly add the heavy cream a little at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth, thick, and spreadable. You can adjust the cream for consistency if needed—add a bit more heavy cream if the filling is too thick.
4. Make the Chocolate Ganache:
In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just starts to simmer. Do not let it boil.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in a bowl and let it sit for a minute or two. Then stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
Let the ganache cool slightly before using.
5. Assemble the Cake:
Once the cake has cooled completely, unroll it gently from the towel. Spread the peanut butter filling evenly over the entire surface of the cake, leaving a small border around the edges.
Roll the cake back up carefully without the towel. Try to keep the roll tight but not too tight to avoid cracking the cake.
Place the rolled cake on a serving platter or cake stand.
6. Top with Ganache and Garnish:
Pour the chocolate ganache over the top of the rolled cake, spreading it with a spatula to cover the top and drip down the sides.
Garnish with chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups on top for extra flavor and decoration.
7. Serve:
Slice the cake into 1-inch slices and serve. The cake is best served at room temperature, but you can refrigerate it for 30 minutes before serving if you prefer the ganache to firm up a bit.