Peanut Butter Cake

It has been quite a while since I have shared a recipe with everyone, and the thought occurred to me earlier as I was making this cake. This cake is Scotty's favorite, and he ALWAYS requests it as a dessert for our many "community meals". Not only does Scotty love it, so does almost everyone else in my family. It is a simple recipe that can be mixed, baked, and frosted in a matter of one hour. My mom found the recipe in Peggy Goodrich's food column in the Enid newspaper four years ago, and it has been popular with us ever since. Of course, the only caveat is that, as much as I want to share the goodness of this recipe with everyone, do not, I repeat, DO NOT, consume this cake if you have a peanut allergy! I don't want to be the reason that someone goes into anaphylactic shock. With that said, here is the recipe, for your enjoyment!

Ingredients:
2 C. flour
1 tsp. soda
2 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. oil
1 1/2 sticks margarine
1/2 C. peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
1 C. water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

Icing for Cake
1/2 C. evaporated milk
1 C. sugar
1 Tbsp. margarine
1/2 C. extra crunchy peanut butter
1/2 C. miniature marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together flour, sugar, soda, and salt in a 2-quart mixing bowl. Set aside. In a saucepan, bring oil, margarine, peanut butter and water to a boil. Pour over dry ingredients and mix. Add beaten eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk, blending well. Pour batter into a greased and floured 11x15x1" sheet cake pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

While cake bakes, combine evaporated milk, sugar, and margarine in saucepan. Bring to boil, cooking 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add peanut butter and marshmallows. Stir until melted. Stir in vanilla. Pour over warm cake and spread to cover.

Recipe Notes:
-It really doesn't matter if you use smooth or chunky peanut butter in either recipe. Unless you have a strict preference, it is much easier to use whatever kind of peanut butter you have on hand.

-For the sake of dishes, it is just fine to use the same saucepan for the cake and icing. The ingredients that go into it are virtually the same in the long run, so you can save yourself some time and use the same pan.

-It is normal for the marshmallows to not completely melt into the icing. Sometimes they will, sometimes they won't, it all depends on the day. (It is more common for sticky marshmallows to not melt as well.)