Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans. Set aside.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl, as necessary. On low speed, blend in the peanut butter and flour. Pour into prepared pan(s). Bake on center rack of oven until a cake tester inserted into the center cornea-out clean (50 to 60 minutes if using loaf pans or 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes, if using tube pan). After 15 minutes of baking, sprinkle chopped peanuts onto the batter to give cake a crunchy topping. Remove from oven and cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Per serving: 290 calories. 17 grams fat 95 milligram cholesterol, 138 milligrams sodium

most famous peanut farmer in history, Jimmy Carter, occupied the White House. This dessert was attributed to first lady Rosalynn Carter.

<Nitro_II@classic. Msn. Com> on Nov 26, 97