Red Velvet Cheesecake Layer Cake

Unfortunately Dr. Oetker has decided to discontinue their range of liquid food colourings. The gel replacements supposedly give a more vivid colour, but unfortunately have never given me good results with red velvet cakes. Sigh. The scarlet-hued cake tasted delicious regardless.

Recipe from Recipe Girl

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

Ingredients:
For the cheesecake layer:
450g cream cheese
135g (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
pinch salt
2 eggs
80ml I(1/3 cup) sour cream
80ml (1/3 cup) whipping cream
1tsp vanilla extract
For the cake:
390g (2 ½ cups) plain flour, sifted
300g (1 ½ cups) granulated sugar
3tbsp cocoa
1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp salt
2 eggs
360ml (1 ½ cups) vegetable/rapeseed oil
240ml (1 cup) buttermilk
60ml (¼ cup) red food colouring
2tsp vanilla extract
2tsp white wine vinegar
For the cream cheese frosting:
110g (½ cup) unsalted butter
450g cream cheese
1tbsp vanilla extract
280g icing sugar, sifted

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/mark 3. Place a large roasting pan on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan and wrap two layers of foil around the bottom and up the sides.

2. Beat together the cream cheese, sugar and salt until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and mix in the sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla. Mix until smooth and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Set the pan in the roasting pan and pour hot water from the kettle into the roasting pan so that the water comes about an inch up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake for 45 minutes, until set and not jiggly. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack, then place into the freezer and freeze for several hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/mark 4. Grease and line two 9-inch baking pans.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add the eggs, oil, buttermilk, food colouring, vanilla and vinegar and beat together until well combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

5. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out of the pans to cool on the racks completely.

6. Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Leave for 10 minutes before removing from the pans to cool completely.

7. For the frosting, beat together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla until light and fluffy. Mix in the icing sugar.

8. To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake plate. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer and remove from the pan. Place the cheesecake layer on top of the cake and top with the other cake layer. Spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bites

Recipe from My Chocolate Therapy

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bites

Ingredients:

150g (¾ cup) granulated sugar

57g (¼ cup) unsalted butter

1tbsp water

170g (1 cup) plain chocolate, chopped

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

155g (1 cup) plain flour

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

125g (¾ cup) milk chocolate chips

200g (¾ cup) creamy peanut butter

chocolate chips, for garnish

     

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/mark 4. Grease a 12-hole muffin pan.

2. Combine the sugar, butter and water in a heatproof bowl and heat over a pan of simmering water or microwave, until melted. Add ¾ of the chopped chocolate and stir until melted.

3. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract, followed by the flour and bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine. Leave the batter to cool to room temperature before mixing in the remaining chopped chocolate. Transfer the batter to the muffin cups.

4. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the top is set but the insides are still a little squidgy.

5. Melt the peanut butter and add a tablespoon to the top of each brownie cup while they are still warm. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and leave to cool completely.