Reeses Peanut Butter Cake
So it's been a year since we celebrated our last birthday all together at school and the tennis ball cake was consumed very quickly between two mock exams. I knew this year I had to make something equally as special for Imogen's 17th birthday and decided that a peanut butter and chocolate cake was the way to do this.
There are hundreds of American recipes for a cake like this on the internet but I finally found an English one which I used for the chocolate glaze and the peanut butter buttercream - I began to doubt halfway through that Imogen still liked peanut butter - which was one of the best buttercreams I've ever eaten.
To make the cake, I used my go to chocolate cake recipe which can be found in this post.
http://icingonthecakes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/essential-cake-recipes.html
After baking the cake and allowing to cool slightly in the tins, transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
Whilst the cakes are cooling, you will need to make the chocolate and peanut butter glaze to go on the top of the cake as this needs time to thicken and cool before pouring onto the buttercream.
For the glaze
250g dark chocolate
3tbsp smooth peanut butter (around 150g)
3tbsp golden syrup
150ml double cream
Begin by melting the chocolate, the golden syrup and the peanut butter together over a low heat in a heavy based saucepan.
Continue to stir until smooth and then take off the heat.
Next add in the cream and whisk until it is all mixed in.
Leave to cool and thicken whilst you make the buttercream.
For the buttercream
500g icing sugar
250g softened unsalted butter
200g smooth peanut butter
150g full fat cream cheese
Weigh out all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and begin to whisk on a very low speed (I made the mistake of turning it up too quickly and my kitchen - and me - ended up covered in icing sugar).
Continue mixing until smooth and then turn the speed up and beat for about 5 minutes or until it has become paler and fluffy.
At this point, the cakes should be cool and you're ready to assemble.
Begin by sandwiching the cakes together with the buttercream but remember to leave enough to cover the top and the sides.
Using the remaining buttercream, cover both the top and the sides of the cake trying to be as neat as you can - a hot palette knife can help you spread the icing more evenly. *
Once iced, place the cake into the fridge for about 10 minutes just to firm up the buttercream.
Whilst the cake was in the fridge, I added a couple of tablespoons of icing sugar to the glaze to thicken it up a bit more.
Once the cake is out of the fridge, you can pour the chocolate glaze over the top. If you want the glaze to pour down the sides and onto the board you can pour it on all at once and then place in the fridge.
I wanted the glaze to stop midway down the cake so poured it on in stages and left to cool in between.
*You may want to save some buttercream to pipe on top of the glaze.
Now the cake is pretty much finished and you just have to choose how to decorate it. I piped rosettes round the top and then alternated Reeses confectionery on top of the buttercream.
There are hundreds of American recipes for a cake like this on the internet but I finally found an English one which I used for the chocolate glaze and the peanut butter buttercream - I began to doubt halfway through that Imogen still liked peanut butter - which was one of the best buttercreams I've ever eaten.
To make the cake, I used my go to chocolate cake recipe which can be found in this post.
http://icingonthecakes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/essential-cake-recipes.html
After baking the cake and allowing to cool slightly in the tins, transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
Whilst the cakes are cooling, you will need to make the chocolate and peanut butter glaze to go on the top of the cake as this needs time to thicken and cool before pouring onto the buttercream.
For the glaze
250g dark chocolate
3tbsp smooth peanut butter (around 150g)
3tbsp golden syrup
150ml double cream
Begin by melting the chocolate, the golden syrup and the peanut butter together over a low heat in a heavy based saucepan.
Continue to stir until smooth and then take off the heat.
Next add in the cream and whisk until it is all mixed in.
For the buttercream
500g icing sugar
250g softened unsalted butter
200g smooth peanut butter
150g full fat cream cheese
Weigh out all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and begin to whisk on a very low speed (I made the mistake of turning it up too quickly and my kitchen - and me - ended up covered in icing sugar).
Continue mixing until smooth and then turn the speed up and beat for about 5 minutes or until it has become paler and fluffy.
Begin by sandwiching the cakes together with the buttercream but remember to leave enough to cover the top and the sides.
Using the remaining buttercream, cover both the top and the sides of the cake trying to be as neat as you can - a hot palette knife can help you spread the icing more evenly. *
Once iced, place the cake into the fridge for about 10 minutes just to firm up the buttercream.
Once the cake is out of the fridge, you can pour the chocolate glaze over the top. If you want the glaze to pour down the sides and onto the board you can pour it on all at once and then place in the fridge.
I wanted the glaze to stop midway down the cake so poured it on in stages and left to cool in between.
*You may want to save some buttercream to pipe on top of the glaze.
Now the cake is pretty much finished and you just have to choose how to decorate it. I piped rosettes round the top and then alternated Reeses confectionery on top of the buttercream.
Happy Birthday Imogen xxx
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