Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Icing

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Transform an ordinary yellow cake with this delicious sweet and nutty old-fashioned peanut butter icing recipe. It’s a must-make for peanut butter fans!

Hero image for old-fashioned peanut butter icing.

Today, I’m sharing a recipe with a big old root system behind it: yellow cake with old-fashioned peanut butter icing. The cake we’re going to use is just a boxed mix because spoiler: it’s not the cake that is important here, it’s the icing. This is my grandmother’s old-fashioned peanut butter icing recipe to be exact and it will forever remind me of my great aunt, Red.

Now, most old-fashioned icing recipes are of the boiled icing variety. If this technique scares you, don’t worry, I’ve included lots of tips for success below to make sure you nail it every time. Trust me, when you get it right and give it a taste, you’ll want to make it again and again. Who can resist a thick layer of sweet yet nutty peanut butter icing on their favorite cake? Certainly not me! The best part of boiled icing is that you pour the hot icing onto the cooled cake and it hardens like fudge… YUM!

To make my peanut butter frosting, you’ll need creamy peanut butter (of course), as well as icing essentials like granulated sugar, vanilla, milk, shortening, and butter. So grab those ingredients and get ready, because I just know you’re going to love this old-fashioned peanut butter icing recipe as much as I do! And if you don’t love peanut butter check out Boiled Chocolate Icing 

Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Icing.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Sugar
  • Shortening (I use coconut oil these days)
  • Peanut butter
  • Milk
  • Vanilla extract 
  • Unsalted butter

Helpful Kitchen Tools

How To Make Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Icing

Add ingredients to a saucepot (except vanilla and PB) and bring to a boil.

In a large saucepot, combine sugar, milk, shortening, margarine, and salt.

Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.

Once it reaches a boil, let it boil for two to three minutes without stirring.

Remove from heat and immediately stir in the vanilla and peanut butter.

Beat until icing is smooth and starts to lose its shine. 

Pouring icing onto cake.

Immediately pour it onto the baked and cooled cake. 

Allow it to cool before serving.

Allow it to cool before serving.

Cutting slices of yellow cake.

Look at that nice layer of peanut butter fudge icing! 

Can you see why yellow cake with old-fashioned peanut butter icing is such a special cake? 

Piece Of Yellow Cake with Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Icing

This is a sight to behold.

Guess what? It seems like it was a gift from above, but as a precious reminder of my past and its connection to the future, this is my daughter’s favorite cake. 

Take A Bite! Yellow Cake with Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Icing.

Now excuse me while I dig into this delicious slice of yellow cake!

Storage

Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Recipe Notes

Here are my tips for success when it comes to boiled peanut butter icing:

    • The boiling of the icing is the most critical step. Make sure it comes to a rolling boil and then stay right there, timing it. I suggest adding one minute to be on the safe side but don’t go over this as the icing will scorch. 
    • You absolutely must have your cake done and ready the moment the icing is done. 
    • Once your icing is finished, remove it from the heat and use a wire whisk to quickly stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until the icing thickens a bit and starts to lose some of its shine. It should still be pourable. 
    • Don’t try to spread the icing once you’ve poured it. Instead, pour it evenly over the cake so that no spreading is needed.
    • Most importantly, unless you lived through the Great Depression, I strongly encourage you not to use this on anything other than a sheet cake. Only those who have the crown of wisdom that comes through age and hardship can ice a layer cake with this. 
  • If you want more peanut butter flavor, sprinkle the cake with roasted peanuts or crushed nuts.
  • Natural peanut butter doesn’t work as well as regular peanut butter in this recipe.
  • For creamier icing, you can substitute the milk for buttermilk.

Recipe FAQs

What other cakes work well with old-fashioned peanut butter icing?

You can use any kind of boxed cake mixes, such as vanilla cake, angel food cake, golden cake, white cake, or even chocolate cake (which will suit Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup fans). But if you’re looking for a homemade cake recipe, Aunt Sue’s easy pound cake would be perfect with this peanut butter icing.

Check out these other irresistible icing recipes:

Boiled Chocolate Icing

Italian Cream Cake with Pecan Cream Cheese Icing

7-Minute Frosting (Foolproof Recipe)

Vegan Sweet Potato Cake With Maple Cashew Icing

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

Cappuccino Cake With Cappuccino Buttercream Frosting

Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Icing

Transform an ordinary yellow cake with this delicious sweet and nutty old-fashioned peanut butter icing recipe.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, icing, peanutbutter
Calories: 318kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Duncan Hines yellow cake mix made according to package directions and cooled
  • 1.5 cups sugar
  • 7 tablespoons whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons shortening
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Instructions

  • Prepare cake mix in a 9x13 baking dish as directed on the package. Allow it to cool.
    1 Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
  • In a large saucepot, combine sugar, milk, shortening, butter, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
    1.5 cups sugar, 7 tablespoons whole milk, 2 tablespoons shortening, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Once it reaches a boil, let it boil for two to three minutes without stirring.
  • Remove from heat and immediately stir in vanilla and peanut butter. Beat until icing is smooth and starts to lose its shine. Immediately pour it onto the cake and allow it to cool before serving.
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

This post was originally published in July of 2008. I updated the photos in August 2019.

Similar Posts

159 Comments

  1. I can’t believe I just stumbled onto your site! I just had yellow cake with peanut butter icing! My grandma who who was from Arkansas used to make it all the time. I am lucky I have one Aunt left that still makes it. I will be attempting your recipe over the holidays. It is funny how many memories can be stirred up by food. I miss my grandma and grandpa so much and the food just brings me happy thoughts of them. After this my next attempt will be chocolate gravy and biscuits. Thank you for sharing.

  2. This is terrific. I made this Sunday. Instead of making a 9 x 13 cake, I actually fixed a two layer cake in round pans. Then I fixed a double recipe of the Peanut Butter frosting. I put it in between the layers and top and sides. As it cools down, it gets thicker so it will stick to the sides of the cake. It was enjoyed by all.

  3. I’m not a peanut butter fan, but I have to try this frosting.
    Besides, I’m terrified that ole’ Red will haunt me if I don’t!

  4. I made this with 2 percent milk and it was tasty then I used evaporated milk! Over the top deliciosness!!! Will never use plain milk again with this recipe! A real keeper! Yummy!

  5. OMG! This was MY birthday cake every year when I was a child! Mama (she passed away when I was 16) would ask what kind I wanted and it was ALWAYS this cake! She baked it from scratch too, now my granddaughter can as well!

  6. Christy….have you ever thought about having a page with a family tree in your next cookbook? I love reading the story that goes with the recipe, but, I get confused on your wonderful large family of grandparents.

  7. I just made this peanut butter icing and it was amazing. The only thing I changed was that I used light brown sugar instead of white sugar, and I also used double the margarine because I had no shortening. It was absolutely delicious. Thanks a lot!

    1. I made this cake and this great peanutbutter icing for it this afternoon. It turned out great. The only kind of shortening I had was the butter flavored , I used it and it was very good.Thank you for sharing your story and the recipe

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe or Post Rating