Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches are definitely a staple for school lunches, so why not make a cake that replicates this childhood favorite?
First, make the ‘bread’ portion by using a store-bought or homemade pound cake. Use a loaf pan to make your cake. Take the cake out of the pan ten minutes after removing from the oven and let it cool completely. Once the cake has cooled, put it into the refrigerator for about fifteen minutes to chill. This will make it easier to slice.
Slice off both short ends of the cake, then slice into six pieces, which will yield three ‘sandwiches’.
For the filling, purchase a can of ready-made frosting (non-whipped variety) and tint with brown food coloring or use unsweetened cocoa powder, adding a little at a time until you reach the desired color. If you want the ‘peanut butter’ to be chunky, add in miniature chocolate chips and cover with the frosting.
For the ‘jelly,’ use two cups of fresh strawberries, cut into pieces. Place them in a saucepan with one cup of water, two teaspoons lemon juice, and a quarter cup of granulated sugar. Mash the strawberries with a hand held potato masher, or use the back of a fork. Once the strawberries have been mashed, turn on the stove to low-medium and stir occasionally. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the fire to low and cook for one to two minutes, stirring two or three times. Take the mixture from the heat and let stand until cooled. Place in refrigerator and let cool for 30 minutes.
To construct the sandwich, take the peanut butter frosting mixture and spread onto one side of the cake, then top with cooled berry jam. Place the other side of the sandwich on top, cut in half, and there’s your PB&J sandwich cake! Enjoy!