Thursday, 2 February 2012

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Usually when i bake a sponge cake i find it very difficult to truly enjoy the buttercream/frosting, for some reason it always tastes better when bought from a specialist bakery (without sarcasm, i wonder why). When you make it at home it always tastes too rich, to the point where you find it difficult to suck the cake off until there's none left. 

This recipe excited me. Both the peanut buttercream and chocolate ganache (with a touch of peanut butter included) were so damn good and just downright eatable. This is a rarity in my kitchen when it boils down to frosting. There are so many positive attributes to this triple layer delight that my brain is unable to reiterate them into typed words.

This is an American adaptation from the Smitten Kitchen, i spent hours converting cups to grams and was surprised to get it on point - especially when i discovered that cups vary according to the specific ingredient.  

A moist sponge, coated in a creamy buttercream with thick chocolate plopped on top. Go on, have a go. 


The Recipe
Sponge
250g plan flour
500g sugar
94g cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
236g/ml (it bears no difference) vegetable oil 
230g/ml sour cream
354g/ml water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp white distilled malt vinegar 
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
Peanut butter frosting
284g cream cheese
112g unsalted butter
Icing sugar (use as much as you see fit, but do not exceed 500g)
172g peanut butter (preferably Skippy's as it will not split)
Ganache 
227g milk chocolate or dark chocolate - depending on your preference 
3 tbsp peanut butter 
2 tbsp golden syrup
125ml double cream
The Method:
  • Preheat the oven to 170 degrees, grease and flour three cake tins. 
  • Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Mix together till well incorporated. 
  • Measure out vegetable oil and sour cream and whisk in till you have a fudge like and grainy consistency.
  • Gradually add in all the water. Do not threat, the sponge is moist so the watery consistency is needed. 
  • Add in vinegar and vanilla extract. 
  • Whisk in the eggs and the pour into the pans. 
  • Bake for 30 minutes, and then cool in the pans before you turn them out. 
  • Place the cakes into the freezer whilst you prepare the frosting's, this makes for a firmer cake to work with whilst icing. 
  • On top of a double boiler melt the chocolate, syrup and peanut butter together. 
  • Off the boiler, mix in the cream till thick. Set aside. 
  • In another bowl, beat the cream cheese with the butter until creamy. 
  • Gradually add in the sugar and then the peanut butter. 
  • Take cakes out of freezer and frost the layers and sides - don't forget to begin with a crumb coat. 
  • Now pour the warm chocolate on top of the cake, use a spatula to create drips on the side.
  • Hey presto. 

2 comments:

  1. Oh how yummy is this cake, wow!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. mmm this is what dreams are made of!

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