Jessie Bakes Cakes - Simple recipes that are simply delicious

White Chocolate Rocky Road

June 2, 2020June 4, 2020by JessieLeave a Comment

White chocolate rocky road packed full with cranberries, pistachios, shortbread biscuits and marshmallows. Finished with a scattering of cute rainbow sprinkles!

Rocky road really is the easiest of recipes and such a great way of using up any leftover baking ingredients such as nuts, fruits and biscuits. It’s as simple as melt the chocolate, mix in the rest of the ingredients, chill and slice. Perfect for making with little ones, for a bake-sale, a delicious gift for someone, or to keep in the fridge for when you crave a sweet treat.

White chocolate rocky road recipe makeovers

You can use this white chocolate rocky road recipe as a quantity guideline and swap out the ingredients depending on what you like or what you have in your cupboards. Here are a few delicious combinations that you could try:

Apricot and walnuts
Oreo and marshmallows
Honeycomb and macadamia nuts

Ingredients (makes 20 rocky road bites)

500g white chocolate
100g pink and white marshmallows
100g shortbread biscuits
50-75g cranberries
50-75g pistachios
Sprinkles (optional but looks so cute!)

Method

Line an 8inch square baking tin with greaseproof paper.

Break the white chocolate up into a microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30 second blasts, stirring in-between, until completely smooth. Alternatively you can melt the chocolate in a glass bowl set over a pan on simmering water.

Crush the biscuits up using a rolling pin or using your hands. Add to the melted chocolate, along with the marshmallows, cranberries and pistachios. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold everything together.

Transfer the mixture to the baking tin, spread it out into an even layer and scatter over the sprinkles. Put the rocky road in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set.

Slice the rocky road into 20 bites and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Cupcakes, Spring, Summer

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

June 1, 2020June 4, 2020by JessieLeave a Comment

These lemon meringue cupcakes are filled with tangy lemon curd and topped with lightly toasted meringue – a delicious cupcake twist on a classic dessert!

I have a new found love for developing dessert-inspired cupcake recipes. It’s so much fun experimenting and finding the best way to incorporate the flavours, the textures and appearance of the dessert into the cupcake. So far we’ve had Banoffee Cupcakes and Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes, and now these gorgeous lemon meringue cupcakes.

How to make lemon meringue cupcakes

There are 3 parts to these lemon meringue cupcakes:

Lemon infused cupcakes – the zest of 2 lemons is added to a simple vanilla sponge mixture. Light in texture and buttery in flavour, the sponge melts in your mouth and has a lovely citrus kick.
Lemon curd filling – the middle of the cupcakes is scooped out and filled with sweet and tangy homemade lemon curd. Lemon curd is surprisingly quick and easy to make, and homemade always tastes SO much better! But if you fancy taking a shortcut or want to speed the recipe up, then you can use a jar of shop-bought lemon curd instead.
Toasted meringue topping – a simple two-ingredient meringue is whisked up, swirled on top of the cupcakes and lightly toasted under the grill. You can also return the cupcakes to the oven or use a blow torch to toast the meringue. Just watch them very closely (I literally sat next to the oven!) as they can quickly burn.

Ingredients (makes 12 cupcakes)

For the cupcakes:
200g Stork tub
200g caster sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
200g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons milk
2 lemons, zest only

For the lemon curd:
4 lemons, juice only (you can use the two lemons from the cake ingredients above)
2 lemons, zest only
120g caster sugar
2 large egg yolks
20g unsalted butter

For the meringue topping:
4 large egg whites
200g caster sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a cupcake baking tray with 12 cupcake cases.

Start by making the cupcakes.

In a large bowl beat together the butter, caster sugar and vanilla extract until light and creamy. Mix in the eggs one at a time, adding 2 tablespoons of the 200g flour with each egg to stop the mixture from curdling.

Add the remaining flour, baking powder, lemon zest and milk and fold together until smooth and combined. Be careful not to over-mix. The mixture should drop off the spoon but still hold its shape.

Divide the mixture equally between the cupcake cases. Bake for 16-18 minutes until the cupcakes are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool.

Now make the lemon curd.

In a small saucepan combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and egg yolk. Heat gently for about 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter to make thick, glossy lemon curd. Pour into a jar and leave to cool and thicken up.

Fill the cupcakes.

Make a hole in the middle of each cupcake (you can do this using a cupcake corer, apple corer, piping nozzle or teaspoon). Fill each hole with a teaspoon of lemon curd and press the cut-out piece of sponge back into the hole, trimming to fit if needed.

Now make the meringue topping.

Whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk on a medium-high setting until they are thick, bright white and can hold their shape. Now add the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time, whilst continuing to whisk, until you have a stiff and glossy meringue.

Spread the meringue on the top of each cupcake and put them under the grill to lightly toast the meringue. Watch them like a hawk as they can burn very easily, mine took roughly 30 seconds to brown. Leave to cool completely before serving.

Store the cupcakes in the fridge for up to 2 days.

M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies

May 28, 2020June 4, 2020by JessieLeave a Comment

Chewy on the outside and gooey in the middle, these M&M chocolate chip cookies are dangerously delicious.

Made using a chocolate flavoured cookie dough, dark chocolate chips and chocolate M&M’s, these cookies are perfect for chocolate lovers and are so so moreish. I’ll admit I did eat three in one day, but I do have to taste test!

Baking M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies is easy!

The recipe starts by making a simple chocolate cookie dough. It uses the same ingredients as my go-to cookie dough recipe, but some of the flour is subbed with cocoa powder. All the other steps in the recipe still apply:

Melt the butter for extra chewiness
Use a mix of light and brown sugar to give the cookies a chewy edge and gooey middle
Add an extra egg yolk for increased richness

Once the dough is made, dark chocolate chips (you can swap for milk chocolate if you prefer) and M&M’s are folded into the dough. Then it’s straight in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours or even better overnight, and yes chilling is a MUST!

Once you’ve painstakingly been clock watching and the chill time is up, it’s time to roll the dough into balls, press a few more M&M’s on top and bake in the oven. Although the chill time can take a while, the baking time is real quick – 10-14 minutes at tops!

The baking time all depends on your oven temperature as everyone’s is different, but I would always set the oven to 180°C and initially set your timer to 10 minutes. The outer edge should be firm and darker in colour, and the middle still soft but not wet. The cookies will continue to cook as they cool out of the oven, so it’s always best to take them out a little under-baked. Give them 5-10 minutes to cool and then you’re free to enjoy your M&M chocolate chip cookies!

More cookie recipes you’ll love

Ingredients (makes 12 cookies)

160g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
150g light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 medium egg + 1 medium egg yolk, at room temperature
175g self-raising flour
75g cocoa powder
100g dark/milk chocolate chips
100g M&M’s

Method

Start by making the cookie dough.

Add the self-raising flour and cocoa powder to a bowl and stir through until combined.

In a separate bowl, melt the butter in 20-second blasts in the microwave until it turns to liquid. Add the two sugars and mix together. Add the vanilla extract, whole egg and egg yolk and mix. Now add the dry ingredients and fold together until the mixture forms a dough.

Add the chocolate chips and M&M’s (saving a handful of each for later) and fold together. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight for best results.

Time to bake!

Preheat oven to 180°C and line two large baking trays with greaseproof paper. Take the cookie dough out of the fridge and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Take a heaped tablespoon of cookie dough and use your hands to it into a ball. Place on the baking tray. Push the leftover chocolate chips and M&M’s into the top of the cookie ball.

Repeat this step until all the cookie dough has been used up. Leave about 5-8cm between each cookie so they have enough room to spread out. You may have to bake the cookies in batches.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies have firmed up around the edge but the middle is still soft. Cool for 10 minutes on the baking tray, before transferring to a cooling rack.

Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or wrap in clingfilm and foil and freeze for up to 1 month.

Cakes, Summer

Mojito Cake

May 21, 2020June 4, 2020by JessieLeave a Comment

Classic cocktail meets cake. Flavoured with white rum, mint and lots of lime, this mojito cake is light, refreshing and packs a real punch!

I had so much fun developing this recipe, spending an afternoon drinking rum and eating cake. Dreamy. I loved experimenting with the flavours to find the perfect balance between sweet and citrus, and making sure the rum comes through but doesn’t blow your head off!

So what makes this a mojito cake?

Well, first the three layers of sponge are flavoured with lime zest and vanilla. Then whilst the cakes are still warm, a sugar syrup infused with lime juice, fresh mint and white rum is then drizzled over, soaking into the sponge. A simple buttercream with fresh lime juice and white rum is used to sandwich the cakes together, and the final touches are a sprinkle of lime zest and a lime wedge placed on top.

Ingredients (makes a 3 layer, 8 inch mojito cake / 8 slices)

For the cakes:
300g Stork tub
300g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
300g self-raising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons whole milk
3 limes, zest only

For the syrup:
3 limes, juice only
100g caster sugar
Small bunch mint
100ml white rum

For the buttercream:
300g unsalted butter, at room temperature
600g icing sugar
3 tablespoons white rum
1 ½ lime, juice only

For the decoration:
1 lime, zest only
Mint leaves
Lime wedges

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line the base of three 8inch round baking tins with greaseproof paper and lightly grease the sides with a little butter.

Start by making the cake. In a large bowl beat together the butter, caster sugar and vanilla extract until light and creamy.

Mix in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of the 300g flour with each egg to stop the mixture from curdling.

Add the remaining flour, baking powder, lime zest and milk and fold together until smooth and combined. Be careful not to over-mix. The mixture should drop off the spoon but still hold its shape.

Divide the mixture equally between the cake tins. Lightly tap the baking tins on the side to release any air bubbles. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cakes are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Whilst the cakes are baking, make the mojito syrup. Add the lime juice, sugar and mint to a saucepan and heat on medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved, the liquid is bubbling up and is syrupy. Remove from the heat and stir through the rum. Leave to infuse for 10 mins, then strain into a bowl.

Take the cakes out of the oven and leave them to cool for 5 minutes. Prick them all over with a toothpick or skewer and spoon over about 3 tablespoons of syrup per cake. Leave to cool completely.

Now make the buttercream. Beat the butter until really soft and pale in colour. Sift in half the icing sugar and beat together until smooth. Sift in the remaining icing sugar, add the rum and lime juice and beat again until smooth. If the buttercream is too soft add a 1-2 tablespoons of icing sugar.

Time to decorate. Put one of the cakes on a pretty plate or cake stand. Spread an even layer of buttercream on top. Top with the second cake and repeat. Put the final cake on top and cover the top with buttercream. Decorate with the lime zest, lime wedges and mint leaves.

Cheesecake, Spring, Summer

White Chocolate and Raspberry No-bake Cheesecake

May 19, 2020May 19, 2020by JessieLeave a Comment

This white chocolate and raspberry no-bake cheesecake recipe is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. It’s light, refreshing and very moreish!

The base is made using digestive biscuits, it’s buttery and crumbly and because this is a no-bake recipe, it can skip the oven and go straight in the fridge to set. The cheesecake filling is smooth, creamy and perfectly sweet. Fresh raspberries are dotted throughout which adds a lovely sharpness and goes so well with the sweet taste of white chocolate. The final touches are a simple drizzle of white chocolate and fresh raspberries placed around the edge.

White chocolate and raspberry cheesecake slice

Top tips for making a no-bake cheesecake

If making a no-bake cheesecake makes you feel a little nervous, trust me you’re not alone! I think it’s the dreaded fear that the cheesecake doesn’t set properly and you’re left with a lovely biscuit base swimming in a puddle of runny cheesecake mixture (eeek). But fear not! This recipe has gone through a lot of trial and error and I promise it won’t let you down. Just follow the steps carefully and have a read of my top tips below to help you make a perfect cheesecake every time.

Tip #1 – Line the base of the baking tin with greaseproof paper

Lining the base will prevent the cheesecake from getting stuck to the bottom of the baking tin, making it so much easier to lift off and transfer to a serving plate.

Tip #2 – Keep the cream cheese in the fridge until you’re ready to start

In the UK our cream cheese isn’t as thick and it can loosen very quickly when mixing it from room temperature. This is why I only take the cream cheese out of the fridge, along with the cream, at the start of the recipe. By the time you need to use it, it will still be cold enough to hold its shape but not too cold that it won’t mix with the icing sugar.

Tip #3 – Add the white chocolate before the double cream

I’ve learnt this tip the hard way. I’ve found that adding the white chocolate before the cream helps prevent it from seizing and making the mixture lumpy. I’m not sure what the science is behind this but its something to do with ingredient temperature differences. Just trust me on this on

Tip #4 – Don’t skimp on the chill time

Although it can be painful having to wait, make sure you chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours, or even better overnight. This will give the cheesecake enough time to set and firm up.

Tip #5 – Decorate just before you’re ready to serve

If you’re using fruit, in particular berries, decorate your cheesecake just before you’re ready to serve. This will help prevent the fruit juices from bleeding onto your lovely white cheesecake and make sure they keep fresh.

white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake

Ingredients (makes 8-10 slices)

For the biscuit base:
250g digestive biscuits
125g unsalted butter

For the cheesecake layer:
400g full-fat cream cheese
75g icing sugar
300ml double cream
180g white chocolate
200g fresh raspberries

For the decoration:
20g white chocolate
50-100g fresh raspberries

Method

Line the bottom of an 8inch round loose-bottom baking tin.

First melt the 180g white chocolate for the cheesecake in the microwave in 20 second blasts or on the hob until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Now make the biscuit base. In a separate bowl, melt the unsalted butter until it turns to liquid. Use a rolling pin or food processor to crush the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and mix together, coating all the biscuits crumbs in butter. Transfer the biscuit mixture to the baking tin and press into an even layer. Place in the fridge to firm up.

Now move on to the cheesecake layer. Sift the cream cheese into a large mixing bowl and add the cream cheese. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk together until smooth and free of any lumps. Pour in the white chocolate and use a spoon or spatula to fold into the mixture. Add the double cream and whisk together for a 1-2 minutes until you have a thick, smooth cheesecake mixture that holds its shape.

Take your biscuit base out of the fridge. Spoon half of the cheesecake mixture on top and spread into an even layer. Scatter the raspberries on top. Spoon the remaining cheesecake mixture on top and spread into an even layer, smoothing out the top.

Place the cheesecake in the fridge to set for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight for best results.

Decorate just before you’re ready to serve. Melt the 20g white chocolate and drizzle on top. Place the raspberries around the edge of the cheesecake. Slice into 8-10 slices and serve.