Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

I made this for my son's birthday, based loosely off several internet recipes I'd found but substituting cake mix, because they're reliably moist and easy.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 12-16
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 1 (18 ounce) box  devil's food cake mix
• 1  cup water
• 3  eggs
• 2⁄3 cup  vegetable oil
• 8  ounces cream cheese
• 6  tablespoons butter
• 2⁄3 cup peanut butter
• 3  cups powdered sugar
• 8  ounces chocolate chips
• 2  tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1⁄2 cup half-and-half
• 2  Reese's Peanut Butter cups, chopped up

Directions

1. Set out your cream cheese and butter to come to room temperature.
2. Combine cake mix, water, eggs and oil.
3. Beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes.
4. Pour into 3 8-inch pans, or 2 9-inch pans, depending on how many layers you want to end up with.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until it's no longer jiggly in the middle.
6. Let layers cool in pans for 15 minutes and then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling.
7. To make the frosting: beat the cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter until fluffy.
8. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, while continuing to beat the frosting until it's all incorporated. Try not to lick the beaters.
9. Fill and frost the cake layers, and set the cake in the fridge to chill a little bit while you prepare the ganache coating.
10. Microwave the chocolate chips and corn syrup for 30 seconds, stir, and then microwave another 30 seconds until it's all smooth and melty. Keep stirring; they'll melt easily. Avoid over-heating.
11. Whisk in the half-and-half until it's all incorporated and the ganache is all smooth and shiny.
12. While it's still warm, take the cake out of the fridge and slowly pour the ganache all over the cake, letting it drip down the sides.
13. Chop up the candy and sprinkle on top of the cake.
14. Chill for 30 minutes, uncovered, and then eat!