After binge-watching (that’s the only way to do it, right?) the entire Season 5 of Grace and Frankie over the course of two days, I was inspired to bake a “surprise cake!” This is the type of cake that surprises you – when you slice into it, loads of treats come pouring out! It’s sort of like a piñata cake, I suppose.

Watch the Season 5, and you’ll see what I mean when Frankie bakes a cake for Bud and Allison’s wedding.

There’s no wedding at my house today, but who doesn’t love chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and a surprise filling of Peanut Butter M&Ms?

It’s a “cake-yata!”

Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cake

Chocolate Cake:
2 cups sugar
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil
1½ tsp. vanilla extract

*Peanut Butter Vanilla Frosting (recipe below)

1 lb. Peanut Butter M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour three 6-inch pans.
Stir together all dry ingredients to a large bowl.
Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.
Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans to a wire racks and let to cool completely.
Using a biscuit cutter, create holes in the center of two of the tiers. Reserve the “hole” cake for another use or frost as cupcakes.
Slather a layer of Peanut Butter Vanilla Frosting over one tier, top with another, frost, and then fill the cake with Peanut Butter M&Ms. Top with the final tier (the one without the hole) and frost the cake entirely with the Peanut Butter Vanilla Frosting. Chill and let set for several hours before slicing open and serving the surprise!

*Peanut Butter Vanilla Frosting:
1 cup salted butter, room temperature (2 full sticks)
3 cups powdered sugar
12 oz. smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter until soft. Sift in the powdered sugar and peanut butter and continue mixing. Add the cream and vanilla and beat until smooth.