Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

The lunch lady at my school used to make these — and they were always perfection.
Soft peanut butter cake topped with creamy peanut butter frosting… pure nostalgia.

Ingredients

For the Bars:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 pan.
2. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a saucepan, melt butter and peanut butter with water. Bring just to a boil.
4. Pour hot mixture into dry ingredients and stir.
5. Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
6. Pour into pan and bake 20–25 minutes.
7. For frosting: Melt butter and peanut butter, stir in milk and powdered sugar until smooth.
8. Spread frosting over warm bars. Let set before slicing.

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 12–16 bars