Gluten free Chocolate -Peanut butter cake with Cream Cheese and Butterfinger frosting

Filling

* 2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
* 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
* 12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup old-fashioned (natural) chunky peanut butter


Cake

* 2 1/2 cups gluten free flour. I used the Domata brand
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1/2 cup old-fashioned (natural) chunky peanut butter
* 1 pound golden brown sugar
* 4 large eggs -original recipe calls for 4. I used 5 because gluten free flours need an extra "binding agent"
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup buttermilk


Frosting

* 1 1/2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
* 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
* 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
* Butterfinger candy bars, coarsely chopped


For filling:
Bring cream and sugar to simmer in saucepan, whisking to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in peanut butter. Chill uncovered overnight. (I chilled mine in the frig for several hours and it came out fine.

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl until blended. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. At low speed, beat in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions.

Divide batter among pans and spread evenly. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 -30 minutes. Mine took about 30 minutes. Gluten free baked goods take more time to bake. Cool cakes 5 minutes. Turn out onto racks; peel off parchment. Cool cakes completely.

For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Whisk whipping cream and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in bowl until mixture holds medium-firm peaks. Fold into cream cheese mixture in 3 additions; chill until firm but spreadable, about 1 hour.

Place 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on 9-inch tart pan bottom. Spread with half of filling. Place another layer, bottom side up, on work surface. Spread with remaining filling; place atop first layer. Top with remaining cake layer, bottom side up.

Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before continuing.) Press candy and peanuts onto top of cake.