Rainbow Cupcake Tutorial

Rainbow Swirl Buttercream Tutorial

Everyone loves a rainbow 🌈 cupcake…am I right?! As an artist and customer..I love the look of a rainbow cake. But as a baker, I cringe at the thought. They’re actually a pain in the backside. We usually charge more…and if you don’t, you certainly should. They’re a faff. I internally groan when I hear that I have to make a rainbow cake. Yeah it’s the same vanilla cake recipe, but then you have to get out every bowl in the cupboard, divide the batter evenly, then use an ungodly amount of food dye to make sure the colour will still be vibrant after it’s baked. And then all the washing up. Oh, and you need to line 6 baking tins too. As I said, a faff! So it’s one thing to bake a rainbow CAKE…rainbow buttercream, slightly different, slightly easier. It’s still time consuming because… the BOWLS, and an all butter buttercream takes a lot of colour to get very vibrant, but I also used a very easy technique to get a gorgeous swirl with half the mess and all the colours.

What you’ll need:

Cling film (Saran wran)

Very large pastry bags

A Wilton 1B Piping tip

Rainbow Coloured Buttercream of your choice!

I actually used American buttercream for this project. Couple of reasons…it had been a very long week and I had to get 60 cupcakes iced and done before work.. (I managed to do it all in 45 minutes) Annd I also find my regular Swiss Meringue takes a little more time to for the colours to develop. I made sure I didn’t compromise on taste though. I will share my recipe with you at a future date.Β  It’s easier to make vegan too..

but you do you! πŸ˜‰ x

Method:

Lay down a large strip of cling film. Make sure it’s not too much longer than your piping bag.

Spoon your buttercream into long lines in the centre of the cling film. I went in order of the colours of the rainbow…but you really don’t need to do this.

Rainbow Cupcake Swirl Tutorial

Bring one side of the cling film over to the middle, then bring over the other side. It’s kinda like making sushi! Then take the ends and give it a twirl, almost as if you’re playing jump rope.

Rainbow Buttercream Swirl Tutorial

Cut one end of the cling film bag and insert it in to your prepared piping bag that has the 1B tip in it.

Rainbow Buttercream Swirl Tutorial

Rainbow Buttercream Swirl Tutorial

Then swirl away! It’s super easy, super fun, and you avoid all the mess that you’d have if you were to line the piping bag with each individual colour.

Here a little video of the piping!Rainbow Buttercream Swirl

Hope you guys ike it! Sending so much love and light,

Carrie xx

Dinosaur Tutorial!

Dinosaur Cake Tutorial

I get quite a few dinosaur requests. Dinosaurs have always been a pretty firm favourite for a lot of kids. My babies enjoyed them, but not near as much as me when I was a kid. As a child, when it came to dinosaurs I was OBSESSED! I knew the names of every kind, and I read ALL the books on the subject. I wanted so badly to be a palaeontologist…actually, it still kinda is a dream job of mine. I remember well, a summer that my dad decided he wanted to take us on a road trip and we ended up in Drumheller, Alberta, to visit their famous dinosaur museum πŸ₯° Thanks my dad, it’s a memory I’ll treasure forever….I’ll be sure to take my kids there one day too.

Diplodocus was my all time favourite dinosaur πŸ¦• probably because they just seemed to have the nicest nature..being herbivores and all. And I totally get the T Rex appeal. I actually think they’re quite sweet too, and Jurassic Park will ALWAYS be on my list of top favourite films, so most dinosaur cakes I make will usually feature a T. Rex. So here’s one I made from Rice Krispie Treats. I’d have loved to do a video tutorial but whenever I make cakes like these I always feel like I’m going to epically fail, so I don’t film, doubt myself the whole way through…and then I LOVE the result. Go figure right? πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸ™„

So here’s a pictorial of my T Rex. I hope you like it!

To start, I made Rice Krispie Treats (RKT) . I usually eye ball this recipe. You want to use more rice cereal than marshmallows, and you want to heat the marshmallows quite a lot, because then it will set really hard, and keep its shape πŸ₯° I use gloves for this so I can mould the RKT without burning myself. And lots of butter or oil so it doesn’t stick to your hands.

Shape the RKT in to a large oval to form the head. Make a dent half way down to form the snout. I use the side of my palm to do this. Once you’re happy with the shape, set the head aside to set.

Roll out 3 long strips of fondant. They don’t need to be perfect. These will just make up the bone structure of the face.

Dinosaur Cake Tutorial

Using a bit of buttercream, ‘glue’ one of the strips of fondant down the and back of the head.

Dinosaur Cake Tutorial

Add the other two strips to either side of the head just as you did with the middle strip.

Using your fingers, pinch the fondant to make sharp edges to give the bones a bit more structure. This will be covered so I find the more dramatic you are with it the better as you’ll lose a lot of the definition once it’s covered.

Roll out 3 balls of fondant roughly the same sizes. This will be for the cheek bones and the snout.

Using a knife, cut in to the head to create a mouth. Pry the mouth open enough so you can create a cavity to place the tongue and teeth.

Press the 3 balls of fondant you rolled on to either side of the head as well as the snout. Press into the head to soften out the shape.

Roll out enough fondant to cover the head. I used a mixture of green and brown ProGel colours to achieve this green. Don’t roll too thinly or you will be able to see the rice crispies underneath.

Cover the head, and use the underside of your palm to secure the fondant to the head while giving the dinosaur more definition.

Once you’re happy with the shape, make sure to turn the fondant under the head as well as in to the mouth so there is no rice Crispies showing. Using a ball tool, create hollows for the eye sockets. I used another little tool (I forget the name) to create the nostrils.

I used the same tool as I did to make the nostrils to create some lines under the eyes. I rolled a couple of balls of yellow fondant for eyes and placed them in the sockets. I then used some black ProGel mixed with vodka to paint on the cat like pupil. I like to add a tiny ball of white fondant to the eye to create an animated effect.

Using a straw (bubble tea straws work great) and squishing it will make a great scale effect. Start pressing in to the fondant, but try not to overlap.

Once the whole head has been embossed, take the blunt edge of a knife and score the ridge of the middle bone going down the centre of the head.

Paint the nostrils with black paint to add a bit more shadow and depth.

Take a ball of pink fondant and press in to the mouth, making sure to cover any green, and Rice Krispie treats.

Using a smaller ball took, I made indentations for the teeth. I then formed a cone shape with pink fondant for the tongue. I pushed it down with my hand and scored a line down the middle.

I coloured some fondant with cream ProGel to get an off white colour for the teeth. I then rolled small pieces of the fondant into cone shapes that had points on either side. This just makes inserting them into the pre made holes a bit easier.

Before adding the teeth, centre the tongue in the dinosaur’s mouth. I then used a bit of water to fix the teeth in to place.

Once all the teeth are in place, roll out two long thin pieces of green fondant. This will cover the gum line to give it a clean finish as well. I scored the fondant with the back of my knife to add a bit more definition.

Once everything is in place you can use an airbrush if you have one to add some more realism to the dinosaur. You can also use some cocoa powder on a big fluffy brush (which I did here). I then finished it all off with a spray of edible clear glaze to give my Dino a lovely shine!

To make the leaves I just cut out green fondant free hand, then scored veins in to them. On other cakes I’ve used a magnolia leaf cutter, scored the leaves, and then arranges them around the dinosaur’s head. To cover the cake board quickly and effectively, I bllitzed some bourbon biscuits in the food processor. Not too finely as you wants more course bits to make its look more realistic. And that’s that folks. A fairly simple T-Rex Cake!

My ‘Go To’ Vanilla Cake including a recipe!

My most requested cake has got to be my vanilla cake. It’s generally paired with a thin layer of Raspberry Conserve and a lovely thick layer of my melt in the mouth Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

I’ve been making this cake for years and I love it because it’s very easily adaptable, it’s great for making structured cakes, and it retains its moisture….even if you over bake it πŸ™ˆ (Hey, it’s happens! 😬)

There is a lot of sugar in it…although it’s not a crazy sweet cake…which makes a lovely crunchy top when you take it out the oven. This is my husband’s favourite part and I’ll sometimes cut it off for him to enjoy.

The reason the cake is so lovely and moist (I don’t enjoy that word either!) is because I don’t use egg yolks, which can easily dry a cake out if too much is used. It’s an all butter cake with milk added as well. It’s definitely a must try.

I feel somewhat guilty talking about how delicious it as, especially as I’ve gone vegan quite recently. I’ve been making all sorts of gorgeous desserts using just plant based ingredients, and they are incredibly tasty. You literally wouldn’t even know the difference. So I’ll share my ‘old’ recipe…and if you’re interested in trying vegan recipes, let me know. I’d be happy to share them! I make a super tasty vegan cupcake too πŸ₯°

So without further ado..

Here’s my Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe! Please let me know if you’ve tried it. I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts πŸ’•

I used to line my cake tins but it’s such a faff!! Now I just pour a bit of vegetable oil in to my pans, give it a swirl, sprinkle in some flour…BAM…done. No sticking, easy to release πŸ™ŒπŸ» This recipe will give you one lovely tall 8inch cake. I bake it in two tins. If I want an extra tall 6inch cake I just use 3 or 4 6inch round cake tins.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Vanilla Cake Recipe

Gorgeous vanilla cake that’s so versatile, easy, and just plain scrumptious!
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time1 hr 5 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cake, Vanilla, Vanilla Cake Recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 Oz Unsalted Butter
  • 21 oz Granulated Sugar
  • 12 oz Milk
  • 6 Egg Whites
  • 16 oz Plain/All Purpose Flour
  • 2 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 Tbs Vanilla Extract

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. My oven runs hot so I bake at 150 degrees. This will ensure a lovely flat top as well which means less waste!
    Grease your pans with a some vegetable oil and flour (no parchment needed, your cakes will pop right out!) Cream your butter and sugar until light in colour and fluffy in texture. Add your vanilla extract.  
  • Add the egg whites slowly, then whip until very airy. 
  • In the meantime combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. You don’t need to sift...I’ve tested this multiple times and the outcome isn’t worth the hassle of sifting 
  • Add 1/4 of the flour mixture to the eggs, then alternate with the milk, ending with the flour mixture. It’s totally normal to have a almost curdled looking batter when adding the milk. Once you finish with the flour, you won’t even notice. 
  • Pour into prepared 8inch pans. 
  • Bake for 45 minutes. This might require more baking time. This will depend on the size of cake tin you use as well as how hot your oven runs. 

Caker’s Block (it’s a thing)

You guys!! Sometimes I get a cake order, and I just can’t WAIT to get started on it…I’ll still procrasticake…absolutely, but I still get super excited about it. I get asked to make cakes exactly to the customer’s specifications….I get asked to replicate certain cakes. And then I get asked to make cakes with a certain theme, etc and to just have artistic license. And I LOVE those cakes…except when I get writer’s block….but for the cake maker. And I will google and google some more. Then I’ll procrastinate, then some more. Then I’ll exhaust all my google searches. And nothing. I just CANNOT for the life of me, figure out what the hell I’m going to do.

I totally panic at some point. I don’t want to let my customer down. But then they’ve given me all the information I need. But my vision is lacking. So it was for this particular cake. I was asked to make a cake for a 70 year old woman who loves to craft, especially needle felting and papercraft. She loves her garden birds etc etc. So initially I’m like ‘yeah, sure! Leave it with me!’ Then the closer it gets I’m like ‘sake..what can I do?!’ And I’ve baked the cake. I’ve torted it, filled it, and now I’m staring at a naked cake. Wondering what in God’s name I’m going to make of it. So I start with one element…how about ‘felt’ birds?! That way it incorporates the craft and her love of garden birds. Sure, I’ll make a couple of garden birds, maybe a finch or robin, easy! So I do that, make them look a little like they’re a bit wooly. Now how do I incorporate some paper craft…yes! Wafer paper! So I decide on colours and I go with my favourites. Duck egg blue, pale pink, and gold.

Thankfully because of my love of crafting, I own a few paper punches. So I cover the cake in duck egg blue fondant, and look for my craft punches. Except I only have white wafer paper, and I REALLY want to make gold. So I try a technique really hoping it will work (because the cake is being picked up in about 2 hours….MY LIFE! )

So I take my trex (vegetable fat/shortening) and smear it over my punched paper. Lightly mind you. I don’t want globs of fat everywhere. I then used my gorgeous shimmer gold by Faye Cahill and used a really fluffy brush and dusted it over the paper.

And it worked perfectly! I made some gorgeous white ribbon roses that I also made from wafer paper and then just gave them a quick dusting of pink with my airbrush. I put on some finishing touches, and I was pleasantly surprised with the result. So sometimes…you just have to wing it. Because we can’t always have the most perfect ideas! No matter how hard you try, sometimes the inspiration is lacking. But also, sometimes you find your best work when you’re working under pressure. So don’t stress..after all my loves…it is JUST cake at the end of the day. And god knows one’s life will NOT be ruined over one dodgy cake. It sucks balls when a customer does complains…but unfortunately, that’s just life. It happens. You learn, and hopefully you get better. In this case, thankfully, I had a very happy customer.. Thanks Elisabeth! πŸ˜‰πŸ₯°

I was pretty pleased with the outcome too. Let’s hope that’s the last of the caker’s block for sometime πŸ€ͺ

Fool proof Swiss Meringue Buttercream (the half assed way)

Easy Foolproof Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Those of you who know me well enough….know I like simple. I was always that girl who had to do everything by the book, follow all the rules, the people pleaser. Even if it meant sacrificing my own happiness. Alllll my recipes were made from scratch, god forbid I ever used a cake mix from a box and every bit of lemon curd, caramel or even jam was made fresh.

Gone are those days. Because I’m a mom, because Β I’m older and dare I say wiser. And also. It doesn’t matter! What matters is that I create a cake that tastes spectacular and my clients keep coming back for more. Am I right? Now as a rule, I don’t generally use cake mixes, only because in my humble opinion….they taste a tad too chemical-ey to me. But if you’re a cake mix kinda baker…you’ve got to choose the RIGHT buttercream. It will make or break your cake! (Wooop, I just rhymed!) I only make Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Yes, it’s more time consuming, yes, you have to mix over a hot stove….I’m all out of cons…see?! Now the pro’s!

It’s an incredibly tasty buttercream. It’s smooth, it melts in your mouth in a way no other buttercream can, it’s very stable when it comes to stacking wedding cakes as well as carving cakes. It’s not as sweet as your typical buttercream, and it’s just so more-ish (I guess that could be seen as a con)….Anyway

This recipe came in to my life about 8 years ago. The only time I use any other frosting or filling is when a) a client requests it or b) a client is vegan or cannot have dairy.

It’s just so incredibly versatile and suits ANY cake. It’s so light that it’s perfect for red velvet, and carrot cake…MINUS the cream cheese. I use it for cupcakes, piping flowers, writing on cakes. I flavour it with jam, extracts, curds, chocolate, fresh fruit, freeze dried fruit. The options are endless. (More pro’s)

Do you remember the scene in Willy Wonka (the old version) where Mr. Wonka is discussing with Charlie about inventing an ice cream that would never melt?! Well I think this is as close to that unmeltable ice cream that we’ll get. It literally tastes like vanilla ice-cream.

I have never tried making Swiss Meringue Buttercream with a butter substitute. So if anyone has, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Then all of a sudden, right before your eyes, it will all start coming together and start looking like whipped cream. PERFECT!  And that, my loves, is how you make Easy Fool Proof Swiss Meringue Buttercream

So here goes

Ingredients:

10oz egg whites (8 large eggs)

21oz granulated or caster sugar (you can even substitute brown sugar for a more caramel flavour. This WILL affect the colour of your Buttercream)

625g unsalted butter (2 1/2 British blocks)

1tbsp vanilla extract or flavouring of your choice

pinch of salt

Then all of a sudden, right before your eyes, it will all start coming together and start looking like whipped cream. PERFECT!  And that, my loves, is how you make Easy Fool Proof Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Method:

Boil some water in a saucepan in order to make a Bain Marie.

Combine your egg whites and Sugar in a heatproof bowl and give it a good mix. I use my trusty rubber spatula for this. Be sure to scrape down the sides of your bowl. You don’t want ANY Sugar clinging to the sides.

Set the bowl over your boiling water and continue to mix being sure to scrape down the sides regularly.

Then all of a sudden, right before your eyes, it will all start coming together and start looking like whipped cream. PERFECT!  And that, my loves, is how you make Easy Fool Proof Swiss Meringue Buttercream

At this point you really want to watch the mixture as you don’t want your eggs to curdle. This will start at the sides of the bowl. If it does start to curdle continue mixing in and remove any clumps that you may have. This won’t affect the outcome of your buttercream but it can be a pain when piping and you get the cooked eggs clogging the piping tip πŸ™„

You can absolutely use a thermometer here….I don’t. I just dip 2 fingers in the mixture, rub them together and if the mixture is very smooth I take it off the heat. If I can still feel any granules of sugar keep mixing until all the sugar is dissolved.

Take the mixture off the heat and allow to sit for a few minutes. I do this so that when I add my butter later it’s not all going to melt at once which will just take longer to get to the whipped stage.

Using a stand mixer (whisk attachment) or even a hand held, whip the meringue until medium peaks form. This will take about 8-10 minutes.

Then all of a sudden, right before your eyes, it will all start coming together and start looking like whipped cream. PERFECT!  And that, my loves, is how you make Easy Fool Proof Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Add your chunks of butter, vanilla and salt. Technically you’re supposed to add your butter slowly, incorporating each bit by bit. But y’all I DO NOT have time for such nonsense.

Then all of a sudden, right before your eyes, it will all start coming together and start looking like whipped cream. PERFECT!  And that, my loves, is how you make Easy Fool Proof Swiss Meringue Buttercream

If you’re using your stand mixer, change to your paddle attachment. Whip your mixture until all the butter is incorporated. At this point it might look a bit soupy. The secret to Swiss Meringue Buttercream? Just keep mixing! (Dory’s β€˜just keep swimming’ totally went through your mind didn’t it?)

Then all of a sudden, right before your eyes, it will all start coming together and start looking like whipped cream. PERFECT!  And that, my loves, is how you make Easy Fool Proof Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Your mixture will start to look like it’s curdling. Yay!! That’s normal. Then all of a sudden, right before your eyes, it will all start coming together and start looking like whipped cream. PERFECT! Β And that, my loves, is how you make Easy Fool Proof Swiss Meringue Buttercream πŸ‘Œβ€οΈ

Then all of a sudden, right before your eyes, it will all start coming together and start looking like whipped cream. PERFECT!  And that, my loves, is how you make Easy Fool Proof Swiss Meringue Buttercream

This makes enough to fill and cover 2 8inch cakes. You can absolutely half the recipe or even better, freeze what you don’t need. All you do to reconstitute it is to throw it in the microwave until it starts to melt slightly or if you don’t have a microwave, simply heat it over a bain marie. Don’t melt ALL the buttercream, because then you’ll have to cool it down again in order to whisk it up.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

Banana bread was always a staple in my house growing up. Whenever there was a ripe banana in sight my mom would make her gorgeous banana bread. Over the years she’s changed her recipe, but it still tastes the same. Beautifully moist, dense and extremely moreish. We’d eat it with lashings of butter and it always, always tasted better when it was a few days old wrapped in tin foil to let the flavours develop.

My husband also loves banana bread and when we first met I used to make it at every opportunity. He complains now that I never make it any more, but there is a reason for this. Our 4 year old has a huge love of bananas and along with his dad…they must go through at least 15 bananas a week! If and when I remember to hide them, there will be a noticeable shortage of banana bread in the house.

Every so often, we do get a few bananas going a little ripe. When this happens I quickly freeze them, so as to have then on hand when the need arises. Here’s a take on my mom’s delicious banana bread. Check out her other recipes on herΒ Facebook page. You’ll find more home comforts and traditional South African recipes.Β πŸ‡ΏπŸ‡¦Β β€οΈ

Easy banana bread recipe

Ingredients:

3 very ripe bananas, mashed (the ripe the better!!!)

100mls vegetable oil

200g brown sugar (the recipe calls for white, but brown sugar gives the banana bread a denser more flavourful loaf….sorry mama)

2 eggs

175g all purpose flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

Method:

Using a mixer, wooden spoon or simply a fork, mix together the brown sugar and oil.

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

Add the eggs and mix until incorporated. Throw in the flour, bicarb. Give it Β a mix until there are no lumps, then add the mashed banana.

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

Pour into a lined loaf pan (I use a silicon mould, no greasing required) and bake at 180 degrees C for an hour.

Let cool, unmold and serve with butter….my husband enjoys it slathered with peanut butter too x

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

 

BAKED Peanut Butter Cheesecake RECIPE

It was my husbands 34th birthday a few days ago and every year I make him something peanut butter related. It’s a running joke in the family about his peanut butter obsession and the fact that he eats so much of it, that he might develop a severe allergic reaction. He doesn’t seem to think it’s so funny…and to be honest I think it worries him slightly 😜 He even has a monthly subscription on AmazonΒ Β  for his addiction, and even then we still have to supplement his need for the stuff on our weekly Tesco shops.Β Last year was a peanut butter layer cake with a rich chocolate ganache and decorated with loads of Reese’s candy. The year before that was a Peanut Butter Pie, and this year it’s Peanut Butter Cheesecake.

Cheesecake is a bit of a specialty of mine. I LOVE a good cheesecake, and I’m not gonna lie, if you call it a cheesecake and it’s not been baked…we’re gonna have words. Baked cheesecakes are the way to go. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a dessert that’s quick and easy and just needs a few ingredients, only to have to pop it in the fridge for a few hours to set. Then, my loves, we call it a pie, or a tart, Β or as we call them in South Africa, a fridge tart. I digress,Β 

I ALWAYS include sour cream in my cheesecake recipes. The sour cream adds that extra bit of fat, and it makes a gloriously smooth mouth feel that is present in every good cheesecake. Another rule…ALWAYS use full fat cream cheese. It adds to the richness and the flavour. The texture and consistency is much smoother as well. I’ve tried with different brands and trust me when I say as I always like to find a good bargain, but I’m still a firm believer that Philadelphia Cream Cheese, full fat is the way to go.Β 

Generally I make West Coast Cheesecakes which include sour cream in the mixture as well as a sour cream topping which is added after the cheesecake is baked. You then add it to the baked cheesecake and then give it a few more minutes in the oven to set the top. I didn’t bother with that step in this particular Peanut Butter cheesecake recipe, only because the cheesecake was going to be covered in a rich ganache topping anyway. Anyway…here’s the recipe. Give it a go and let me know your thoughts!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe Peanut Butter Oreos

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

  • 2 packs Peanut Butter Oreos
  • 100 grms Butter, melted

Blitz the Oreos in a food processor and add the melted butter. Mix together and spoon into a 9inch springform tin. You can absolutely use regular oreos or even digestives with a bit if cocoa powder…but I was kinda working with a theme here πŸ˜‰Β 

Peanut butter cheesecake crust recipeReece's Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe

 

 

Preheat the oven to 160 C.Β 

A slow bake is crucial for a lovely creamy cheesecake. You may want to even wrap your tin in a couple layers of tin foil and place in a water bath to get that extra moist bake. I just made sure to keep checking on my cheesecake. You really don’t want to ovebake or the cheesecake will develop a graininess and result in a dry crumb.

Reece's Baked Peanut butter cheesecakeΒ 

The beauty of this recipe is that you throw all the ingredients in to one bowl and give it a mix. Do not over mix. You really want to avoid incorporating too much air into the batter.

Baked Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients for the cheesecake

  • x2 280g tubs of Full fat Cream Cheese
  • 250mls Sour Cream
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3 eggs
  • 250mls smooth peanut butter
  • 175g soft brown sugar

Add all ingredients to one bowl and whisk until everything is incorporated. Save those 3 egg whites and make yourself a healthy omelette. You’ll feel less guilty eating a slice of this cheesecake after that…or is that just me? πŸ˜¬πŸ™ˆ

Side note; you really want to avoid using the 100% all natural peanut butter. It messes with the recipe. I used Sunpat Crunchy….smooth is recommended for most peanut butter recipes but Kyle always insists on crunchy, so its usually what we have on hand. I do enjoy crunchy peanut butter for the added texture, and its somewhat more of a meal..but smooth just glides over your toast so much better…AMMA right?! πŸ’•

Baked Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe Reese's

Pour the batter into your Crust and chuck it in the oven for a good 45 minutes. To be honest guys, I never really time my cakes. I check back a lot. After 45 minutes I did turn the cake to make sure that it was all baking evenly. I took the cake out when it was still slightly wobbly in the middle as it will still continue to cook after it’s been taken out of the oven. Don’t be scared to take it out too soon. That gentle wobble is crucial for getting a perfectly baked cake! Trust me! I ended up with a lusciously smooth, creamy and pretty damn irresistible cake if I do say so myself!

Baked Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe Reese's

I let this baby cool at room temp for about an hour then in the microwave I melted 50g of dark chocolate with 100mls of double cream.Β 

 

I gave this a good mix, then poured it over the cake and spread the chocolate over the sides. I chopped up some salted peanuts, Reese’s pieces, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and minis and decorated the outer edge of the cheesecake.Β 

Reese's peanut butter cheesecake recipe

Reese's Peanut butter cheesecake recipe

Kyle was extremely happy with his birthday treat and had an extra large slice. It went down really well with the rest of the crew as well. Give it a bash guys! Let me know how you get on and please feel free to get in touch with any questions, comments or suggestions you might have. I enjoyed my slice with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and it seemed to pair just beautifully 😏 although I do suggest a cup of tea πŸ’“