I created this rich and luscious layered dessert one day when I had a lot of time on my hands. A dense and moist chocolate cake is separated into layers by a creamy, fluffy sweet & salty peanut butter and cream cheese filling whipped to perfection with swirled melted chocolate. I finished it off with an easy chocolate glaze that flooded the top and pooled at the bottom and melted peanut butter thinly drizzled across the surface for the crowning touch. This dessert has the perfect variety of textures, dense & moist cake, fluffy and smooth filling, and a wet, thin glaze. A sweet and salty filling compliments the deep chocolate cake so well. While it may require time and a lot of ingredients, the hard work is sooo work it. Impressive and utterly rich this dessert makes a very elegant presentation and is perfect for entertaining; your guests will be sure to love it. Enjoy!

You will need:
CAKE:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Hershey's special dark hot fudge sauce
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup cold water
FILLING:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips, melted
GLAZE:
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons hot water
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
PEANUT BUTTER DRIZZLE:
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Step 1: Chocolate Peanut Butter Bliss Torte

Step 1: Make the Cake: Melt chocolate chips and butter in a microwave- safe bowl; stir until smooth; set aside.

Step 2: Meanwhile, vigorously whisk the eggs in a medium bowl by hand until slightly thick; about 2 minutes. Whisk in the granulated sugar and melted chocolate/butter until blended.

Step 3: Whisk in the dry ingredients until smooth and blended. These would include the flour, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in all remaining cake ingredients; which would include the hot fudge sauce, sour cream, peanut butter, and water.

Step 4: Coat 15 inch by 10 inch by 1 inch baking pan with cooking spray; line with wax paper (enough that the edges hang over) and coat the paper with cooking spray. Pour the batter evenly into the pan.

Step 5: Bake at 350 degrees for 17-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cake springs back when lightly touched.

Step 6: Immediately invert onto a wire rack; carefully peel off wax paper. Invert again onto another wire rack so that the top side faces up. Cut into 3 equal width-wise strips, approximately 4 inches wide each; cool completely on the wire rack.

Step 2: Chocolate Peanut Butter Bliss Torte

Step 7: Make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter, peanut butter, and cream cheese until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes.

Step 8: Gradually beat in the vanilla, salt, and confectioners' sugar starting on low speed then increasing to medium speed until smooth and blended. Beat in the sour cream and granulated sugar until smooth. Beat on high speed for 5-7 minutes or until very light and fluffy.

Step 9: Drop melted chocolate into filling; swirl gently with a rubber scraper.

Step 10: Evenly spread the filling into a 13 inch by 7 inch rectangle on a large sheet of wax paper. It might help to measure and mark and dimensions with a pencil on the wax paper. Place the wax paper on a baking sheet and freeze for about 40 minutes to an hour.

Step 11: After removing from freezer, cut into 3 equal width-wise strips, about 4 inches wide each (just like you did with the cake.)
Place one cake strip on a serving platter. Top with one filling strip. (I removed the filling strips from the wax paper with a metal spatula.) Repeat process alternating with remaining cake and filling strips. Trim edges if desired. Cover and place in the refrigerator as you complete the glaze and drizzle.

Step 3: Chocolate Peanut Butter Bliss Torte

Step 12: For the glaze: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and hot water until smooth; whisk in the melted chocolate until blended and slightly thick. Pour into a glass measuring cup that has a spout to pour. (Or you can simply make the glaze in the glass measuring cup.)

Step 13: In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt peanut butter, stirring until smooth. Pour into a small resealable plastic bag. Cut a very small slit in the bottom corner of the bag.

Step 14: Remove the unfinished torte from the fridge. Pour the glaze over the top of the torte, allowing it to run over the top and down the sides and pool at the bottom. Lightly spread with a rubber spatula to ensure that the whole top surface is covered with some glaze.

Step 15: Next, drizzle the peanut butter all over the top and sides of the torte. Let set for a few minutes; cut with a sharp serrated knife. Store; covered; in the refrigerator.