This 3-ingredient flourless peanut butter cake is simple, gluten-free, and tasty. It makes a great afternoon snack cake.

flourless peanut butter cake topped with mini peanut butter cups

I created this flourless peanut butter cake recipe several years ago, but after cringing too many times at those old photos, I decided it was time to revisit the recipe. Do you ever get like that about your old work? I have such a hard time looking at old papers I wrote, pictures I took, posts I published, etc. I guess it’s a good thing since it means I’m still improving. But still. It’s hard to look at my old work.

close-up photo of a slice of cake on a white plate

I tinkered with the recipe ever so slightly but it didn’t need much adjusting. This cake gets its structure and lift from whipped eggs and the end result is a sweet and delightful peanut butter cake. The texture is light and yet dense at the same time, like many other flourless cakes.
overhead photo of a slice of cake

The appearance of the cake is a little rustic. It will initially be puffy and then deflate, similar to a souffle. You can cover up the unevenness with powdered sugar or go a more elaborate route with frosting, but I wanted to keep things simple for this easy cake.

Ingredients

  • Eggs
  • Creamy peanut butter
  • Sugar

 For the peanut butter, I don’t recommend using natural peanut butter. You will want to use the regular kind.

Also, it’s better to weigh the peanut butter to ensure you add the precise amount to the recipe. The peanut butter will stick to a measuring cup making it difficult to scrape all of it out.

photo of a flourless peanut butter cake garnishes with powdered sugar

How to Make the Cake

For this recipe, you will need to grease a 7-inch springform pan and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or hand mixer, beat the eggs until they triple in volume. This should take about eight minutes and they will be very pale yellow and thickened. It’s very important to beat the eggs long enough.

Add in sugar and beat for another 2 minutes.

Measure the peanut butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 1/3 of the whipped eggs and carefully fold them into the peanut butter. It’s important to lightly stir and fold instead of using a mixer so you don’t deflate the eggs.

photo collage showing steps for making the batter

Add another 1/3 of the egg mixture and fold them in. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so all of the peanut butter is incorporated. Add the rest of the egg mixture and fold until the batter is combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake before cutting and serving. The cake will initially be puffy and will deflate as it cools.

You can serve the cake plain or add a frosting, powdered sugar, or decorate it with mini peanut butter cups.

close-up photo of a fork slicing off a bite of cake

More Cake Recipes with 3 Ingredients or Less

peanut butter cake
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3 Ingredient Flourless Peanut Butter Cake

This 3-ingredient flourless peanut butter cake is simple, gluten-free, and tasty. It makes a great afternoon snack cake.
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 6  oz creamy peanut butter, (see note)
  • 3/4 cup sugar

Instructions
 

  • Grease a 7 inch round springform pan. Generously spray entire pan with PAM with flour (alternatively you can cut parchment paper to the size of the pan and line pan with parchment paper). Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Beat eggs on highest speed with a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, until triple in volume, about 8 minutes. Make sure you beat the eggs long enough. This cake depends on the eggs. The egg batter should turn a very pale yellow and become quite thick (see photo above). Add in sugar and beat for another 2 minutes.
  • Measure out peanut butter into a large mixing bowl. Add in 1/3 of the egg mixture. Gently stir and fold with a spatula in the same clockwise direction until all of the egg is mixed in and no streaks remain. Make sure you are stirring by hand gently with a spatula. Do not use a whisk and do not use a mixer otherwise, you will deflate the eggs too much. Then add another 1/3 of egg mixture and stir again until no egg streaks remain. Scrape a few times from the bottom of your bowl to make sure there is no peanut butter that may have sunk to the bottom. Pour in remaining third and make sure to scrape the egg foam that sticks to the mixing bowl into your batter and stir until no streaks remain. 
  • Pour batter into springform pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes (mine took 33 minutes) until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cake cool before cutting and serving. The cake will initially be puffy and will deflate as it cools. 

Notes

  • Please be sure to weigh the peanut butter on a scale because 6 ounces by weight is not the same as 6 fluid ounces. I also recommend using the commercial store-bought peanut butter rather than natural style.
Serving: 0.13of recipe, Calories: 229kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 129mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, NET CARBS: 22
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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