Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars are a fun and kid-friendly recipe! These Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake Bars make for a tasty dessert, a simple snack, or even an indulgent breakfast. I love putting a new spin on classic kid’s food to make something creative and delicious for the whole family. You’ll never think of Peanut Butter and Jelly the same once you’ve had these snack cakes!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake Bars
These tasty peanut butter and jelly bars take the classic peanut butter and jelly flavor to a new level!
I love experimenting with kid-friendly recipes around here now that I’ve got Henry in tow. I want to have plenty of fun things to cook for him as he gets older, so it’s best that I start testing things out now! That’s what inspired me to make these Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake Bars.
Peanut Butter and Jelly is the most classic, iconic kid’s food there is…I mean, who didn’t eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches growing up? They’re so sweet and delicious, and the creamy peanut butter (or crunchy…which side are you on?) mixed with classic grape jelly is one of the best flavor combinations of all time!
Make these Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake Bars for breakfast, dessert, or a fun snack. The whole family will love these Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars any time of day!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars are the perfect snack!
Every family needs an easy go-to snack recipe beyond the typical store-bought stuff. This creative peanut butter and jelly snack recipe is perfect for kids after school, on the weekends, or to pack for play dates.
We cut the peanut butter and jelly cake into small squares to make them the ideal size for quick snacks without overindulging (unless you want to). They’re so easy to pack up for parties or eating on the go. They make a quick and tasty breakfast too, and of course these peanut butter and jelly bars are SO GOOD for dessert.
These little PB&J snack cakes are so great for sharing with everyone you love.
Peanut Butter and Jelly for breakfast?
Who said you can’t have peanut butter and jelly for breakfast? Consider these peanut butter and jelly cake bars your next sweet and indulgent breakfast. It’s a fun Saturday morning recipe, but these little squares are also easy to grab as you head out the door in the morning.
And if you want a healthier pb&j recipe for breakfast…try this Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal instead.
How to Make Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
These Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake Bars are so easy to make. I used a box of cake mix to make the process simple, and added a few more things to get that classic peanut butter and jelly flavor.
To make these peanut butter and jelly bars, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Box of white cake mix
- Vegetable oil
- Peanut Butter
- Eggs
- Grape jelly
- Vanilla extract
- Buttermilk or whole milk
- Powdered sugar
You probably already have most of the ingredients at home, so there’s no reason not to try these Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars. Just go out and get a box of cake mix and you should be good to.
Check the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions on how to make these PB&J snack cakes.
Have I convinced you to try these Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake Bars yet? This is such a fun kid-friendly snack recipe…and who doesn’t love Peanut Butter and Jelly?!
If you like these peanut butter and jelly bars, try these other kid-friendly recipes:
- Apple Cheddar Waffle Sandwich
- Baked Chicken Nuggets
- Ham & Cheese Baked Mozzarella Sticks
- Best Chex Mix Recipe
- Baked Sweet Potato Chips
See the recipe card for details on how to make these kid-friendly Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake Bars. Enjoy!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Snack Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 15.25 ounces white cake mix 432 grams (1 box)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 50 grams
- ½ cup smooth peanut butter 135 grams, room temperature
- 3 large eggs 150 grams, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 1 cup buttermilk 227 grams (SEE NOTE)
For the PB&J swirl
- ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter 90 grams, room temperature
- ¼ cup powdered sugar 28 grams
- 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil 13-25 grams
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 grams
- ⅓ cup grape jelly or jam 113 grams
- ¾ teaspoon hot water 4 grams (200-212°F)
Recommended Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 8x8-inch Baking Pan
- Stand Mixer (optional)
- Hand Mixer (optional)
Instructions
For the Cake
- Set oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), slowly beat together the cake mix, oil, peanut butter, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk. Mix for 1 minute on low until ingredients are combined. Turn mixer to medium speed and mix for 1-2 more minutes, until smooth and the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan; set aside.15.25 ounces white cake mix, ¼ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup smooth peanut butter, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 cup buttermilk
- In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter, sugar, oil, and vanilla until smooth; set aside.⅓ cup smooth peanut butter, ¼ cup powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In another small bowl, whisk together the jelly (jam) and the hot water until loosened and almost smooth.⅓ cup grape jelly or jam, ¾ teaspoon hot water
- Place alternating dollops of the grape jelly and the peanut butter mixtures, about ½-1 inch apart, over the entire cake. Drag the tip of a knife through the dollops to create a swirl pattern throughout the entire cake and from edge-to-edge.
- Bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out almost clean. Transfer cake to a cooling rack to cool completely before cutting.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Buttermilk: You can use whole milk in place of the buttermilk, or make your own buttermilk.
- To make your own buttermilk, measure 1 cup of milk, remove 1 tablespoon of it, and mix in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
- Feel free to change up the jelly/jam to suit your tastes. Grape is classic, but raspberry or strawberry would also be great!
Nutrition Information
Hello. These look delicious! Can’t wait to try….sorry not a review yet. Can I use almond milk in this recipe? Don’t want to ruin it.
In most recipes, you can use almond milk as an alternative to traditional cow’s milk by simply doing a cup-to-cup replacement!