Jessie Bakes Cakes - Page 3 of 18 - Simple recipes that are simply delicious

Lotus Biscoff and White Chocolate Blondies

June 29, 2020June 29, 2020by JessieLeave a Comment

Layers of golden gooey blondie, crunchy caramel biscuits and chunks of creamy white chocolate, one bite of these Lotus Biscoff and White Chocolate Blondies and you are in heaven!

Success tips for baking blondies

These Lotus Biscoff and white chocolate blondies are fudgy on the outside and gooey in the middle (sorry to all my cakey blondie lovers out there!). But it can be difficult to know whether they’re overcooked, undercooked, ready to come out the oven or need a couple more minutes.

It’s taken me many failed attempts to figure this out! So please learn from my mistakes and have a read of my top success tips for baking perfect blondies every time:

Tip #1 – Baking time

This is a tricky one! We want the blondies to be gooey and fudgy, NOT cakey and dry. But everyone’s oven runs differently, some are cooler, some are hotter and so it’s difficult to give an exact baking time. As a guideline, I suggest baking them for 25-30 minutes at 180°C.

Here’s what I look out for as a sign that they are ready:

The top is golden brown and no longer shiny
The middle is completely set
Cracks have started to show on the outer edge
Give the tin a little shake there should be a slight wobble underneath

Tip #2 – Be patient and don’t cut them straight away!

Yes I know this is difficult, they smell amazing they look amazing and you just want to dive straight in. But trust me on this, if you cut them straight away you will have a raw blondie mess that just falls apart.

Blondies continue to cook as they cool down, changing the texture from raw and underbaked, to fudgy and gooey. Leave them to cool in the baking tin for about 4 hours or overnight for best results.

If you cut them and find that they are too gooey for you, just pop them in the fridge to set even more.

More blondie recipes you will love

Lotus Biscoff and white chocolate blondie recipe (makes 12)

Ingredients

250g light brown sugar
190g self-raising flour
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
170g unsalted butter
100g white chocolate chunks/chips
150g Lotus Biscoff Biscuits

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C and line an 8inch/20cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper.

Melt the butter in the microwave until it turns to liquid. Add the light brown sugar and mix until combined.

Now add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix through. Add the flour and fold into the mixture in a figure of eight motion until combined.

Now add roughly 80g white chocolate chunks and break up roughly 130g of the Biscoff biscuits into the mixture – you’ll save the remaining chocolate and biscuits for the next step. Fold everything together until combined.

Transfer the mixture into the baking tin and smooth out the top. Scatter the remaining chocolate chunks on top and break up the remaining biscuits on top.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. The top should no longer shiny and the centre should be set. Cracks should be starting to appear around the outer edge and if you give the baking tin a shake it should wobble slightly underneath.

Leave to completely cool in the baking tin for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results.

Autumn, Christmas, Cookies

Pecan Cinnamon Roll Cookies

June 22, 2020September 3, 2020by JessieLeave a Comment

These Pecan Cinnamon Roll Cookies drizzled with cream cheese frosting are super soft, super chewy and SUPER delicious.

Pecans. Cinnamon. Soft-baked cookies. Cream cheese frosting. Now that is the ultimate flavour combination. This has to be my new all-time-favourite cookie recipe!

How to make Pecan Cinnamon Roll cookies

There are 3 parts to this recipe, each one is really quick and easy to make.

1. Start with the cookie dough – you’ll start by making my go-to cookie dough recipe but with a few additions. For these cookies you’ll add ground cinnamon which gives the dough a lovely sweet and spicy flavour, and you’ll also add some chopped pecans, which pair so well with cinnamon and add crunch throughout the cookies.

2. Roll the cookies in cinnamon sugar – Just before the cookies go in the oven, you’ll roll them in cinnamon sugar. Made by mixing light brown sugar with ground cinnamon, this extra step will give the cookies a gorgeous crinkly top and a sweet sugary coating.

3. Decorate with a drizzle of cream cheese frosting – just like classic cinnamon rolls are finished with a coating of icing, these cookies are finished with a drizzle of cream cheese frosting. You can either pipe the frosting over the cookies or use a teaspoon to drizzle it across. This step really is the icing on the cake…or cookie in this case!

Other cookie recipes to try

Once you’ve mastered these cookies be sure to give another a go. Here are a few of my favourite recipes:

Pecan Cinnamon Roll Cookie recipe (makes 12)

Ingredients

For the 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
1 + ½ teaspoons cinnamon
250g self-raising flour
100g whole pecans

For the cinnamon sugar:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
30g light brown sugar

For the cream cheese frosting:
75g icing sugar
35g unsalted butter, soft at room temperature
35g full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese, cold from the fridge

Method

Start by making the cookie dough.

Melt the butter in 20-second blasts in the microwave until it turns to liquid. Add the light brown sugar and caster sugar, and mix together. Add the vanilla extract, whole egg and egg yolk and mix together.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and cinnamon in a bowl. Add to the wet ingredients and fold together until the mixture forms a dough.

Roughly chop the pecans, add them to the bowl and fold into the cookie dough. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and put it in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight for best results.

Bake the cookies.

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

Make the cinnamon sugar by mixing together the light brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Take a heaped tablespoon of cookie dough, roll it into a ball and then roll it in the cinnamon sugar. Place on the baking tray. Repeat this step until all the cookie dough has been used up. Leave about 5cm between each cookie so they have enough room to spread out. I had 4 cookies on each baking tray and baked them in batches.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned on the edges and the middle is still soft. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Now make the cream cheese frosting.

Beat the butter until really soft and pale in colour. Sift in the icing sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the cream cheese and gently fold into the mixture until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix, as it can quickly become runny.

Time to decorate!

Transfer the cream cheese frosting to a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle. Pipe the cream cheese frosting over the cookies in a zig-zag motion. Alternatively, you can use a teaspoon to drizzle it on top.

Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Buttercream, Cakes, Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

June 18, 2020June 18, 2020by JessieLeave a Comment

Problems making cream cheese frosting? Does it always turn into a lumpy, runny disaster? Trust me, I’ve been there! Finding a U.K recipe that actually works can be tricky, but believe me when I say that this one will not let you down.

It’s taken me years of failed attempts to finally develop a recipe for cream cheese frosting that is spreadable, pipe-able and silky smooth. I actually jumped for joy when it worked!

Success tips for cream cheese frosting

Use Full-fat Philadephia Cream Cheese
In the U.K our cream cheese is more like a spread and thin in texture. I’ve found that low-fat versions or any other brand of cream cheese isn’t thick enough and results in a runny frosting.
Beat the butter on its own for 1-2 minutes first.
This will break down any lumps and make sure the frosting is completely smooth. You also want to beat the butter until it is really pale so that the frosting comes out a lovely bright white colour.
Sieve the icing sugar.
Making sure the icing sugar is really fine in texture will keep the frosting smooth and lump-free.
Keep the cream cheese in the fridge.
This is THE most important tip. You want the cream cheese to be as thick as possible, if it’s kept at room temperature it will start to loosen and become soft. Therefore only take the cream cheese out of the fridge when you are ready to use it in the recipe.
Gently fold the cream cheese into the mixture
At this step swap the electric mixer for a wooden spoon or spatula. Very gently fold the cream cheese into the mixture until it has JUST combined. Be really careful not to over-mix as the frosting can very easily turn to liquid.

Recipe ideas for how to use cream cheese frosting

There’s plenty of ways you can use cream cheese frosting, it’s really versatile and pairs particularly well with vegetable or fruit cakes. Want some recipe inspiration? Check these out:

Ingredients

Makes enough cream cheese frosting to decorate 12 cupcakes or the top and sides of a two-layer 8inch cake.

150g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
300g icing sugar
150g full-fat cream cheese frosting (cold from the fridge)

Method

Step 1

Cut the unsalted butter into chunks and put it in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric whisk or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on a medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until super soft, fluffy and pale in colour.

Step 2

Sift half of the icing sugar into the bowl. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently mix the butter and icing sugar together first for 30 seconds (this will help stop the icing sugar from going everywhere when using the electric mixer). Now turn the electric mixer on a medium-high speed and beat together until smooth and fluffy.

Step 3

Sift the remaining icing sugar into the bowl. Repeat the same step as above, using a wooden spoon or spatular to first mix the butter and icing sugar together, then the electric mixer to beat together until you have a smooth mixture.

Step 4

Take the cream cheese out of the fridge and add it to the bowl. Use a wooden spoon or spatula (not the electric mixer), to gently fold the cream cheese into the mixture until smooth and just combined. Be careful not to over mix at this stage.

Step 5

Use straightaway to decorate your bakes, or cover with clingfilm and store the cream cheese frosting in the fridge for up to 3 days. I used it to decorate these gorgeous Strawberry Cheese Cupcakes

Cupcakes, Summer

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

June 11, 2020September 13, 2020by Jessie2 Comments

Celebrate summer with these delicious strawberry cheesecake cupcakes!

Topped with cream cheese frosting and filled with strawberry jam, these cupcakes are perfect for picnics, BBQ’s or just to enjoy on a warm summers day.

How to make strawberry cheesecake cupcakes

There are four parts to this recipe, each step is really easy to make but together they create a show-stopping bake:

The cupcake base – made using a classic sponge cake recipe, the base has added vanilla essence for a light and sweet flavour.
The filling – the middle of the cupcake is scooped out and filled with strawberry jam. I used Bonne Maman Strawberry Conserve, which is a lovely high-quality jam you can buy in most supermarkets.
The frosting – the cupcakes are topped with a swirl of sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting. Now they’re starting to taste like cheesecake!
The decoration – crushed digestive biscuits are sprinkled over the cupcakes and a fresh strawberry is place on top.

Strawberry cheesecake cupcake recipe (makes 12)

Ingredients

For the sponge:
150g Stork tub (margarine) or unsalted butter
150g caster sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
150g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk

For the cream cheese frosting:
300g icing sugar
150g unsalted butter, soft at room temperature
150g full-fat cream cheese, cold from the fridge

For the filling/decoration:
1 jar of strawberry jam
12 fresh whole strawberries
4-5 Digestive biscuits (crumbled)

Method

Start by making the cupcakes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a cupcake baking tray with 12 cupcake cases.
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.
Add the vanilla extract and beat in the eggs one at a time, along with a tablespoon of the 150g flour each time to stop the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining flour and milk, and fold the mixture together until combined.
Divide evenly between the cupcake cases and bake for 16-18 minutes until the cupcakes are a golden brown, risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer cakes to a cooling rack and leave to completely cool.

Core and fill the cupcakes.

Once the cupcakes are cool, scoop out the middles using a cupcake corer, apple corer or teaspoon.
Fill each cupcake with a heaped teaspoon of strawberry jam. Press the cake middles back into the holes to cap off the top (you may have to trim them down).

Make the cream cheese frosting.

Beat the butter with an electric mixer until really soft and pale in colour.
Sift in half the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
Sift in the remaining icing sugar and beat again until you have a smooth and creamy frosting.
Now take the cream cheese out of the fridge and add to the bowl. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently fold the cream cheese into the frosting until smooth. Be careful not to over do it, as it can quickly become runny.

Time to decorate!

Spread or pipe the frosting on top. I used an 11mm open star piping nozzle to get that lovely swirl effect.
Use a rolling pin to crush a few digestive biscuits and sprinkle them over the cupcakes.
Finish by slicing a fresh strawberry in half and placing on top.

Store your strawberry cheesecake cupcakes in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days.

Nutella Lava Cookies

June 8, 2020July 21, 2020by JessieLeave a Comment

Golden, chewy, monster-sized cookies with a molten Nutella middle – these Nutella Lava Cookies are absolute heaven!

Here’s why you’ll LOVE these Nutella Lava Cookies:

They are NOT on the small size, in fact, they are pretty enormous! The recipe will make 8 cookies in total.
They have a crispy golden edge and a chewy, soft-baked centre.
When you break the cookie open, the middle oozes molten liquid Nutella.
They are dotted with chocolate chips for an extra chocolatey hit in every bite.

Making the Nutella middles

The recipe starts by making the Nutella “middles”. Heaped teaspoons of Nutella are dolloped on a baking tray and then popped in the freezer to firm up.

The freezer!? Yes, you read that correctly. It may sound strange but freezing the Nutella will make sure the middle is super gooey and molten. Otherwise, the Nutella becomes too hot, starts to cook in the oven and will result in a firm Nutella centre.

Shaping the Nutella lava cookies

Once the cookie dough has chilled for 3 hours, it’s time to assemble and shape the cookies. You’ll take a heaped tablespoon of cookie dough, flatten it in the palm of your hand and place a frozen Nutella lump in the middle. Using another tablespoon of cookie dough, you’ll conceal the Nutella middle, roll the cookie into a ball and press a handful of chocolate chips in the top.

Baking the cookies

The cookies only take 12-14 minutes to bake. They will spread out and double in size in the oven, so remember to leave plenty of space between the cookies on the baking tray. As an indication, I only had 3 cookies on each baking tray.

Once the cookies are out of the oven, do your very best to resist them for at least 10 minutes. This will give them time to cool slightly, improving the texture and flavour.

The wait is finally over. Tuck in and enjoy!

Nutella lava cookie recipe (makes 8 large cookies)

Ingredients

160g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
150g light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 medium egg + 1 medium egg yolk, at room temperature
250g self-raising flour
8 heaped teaspoons of Nutella (roughly a 200g jar)
20g chocolate chips

Method

Start by making the Nutella middles.

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Dollop 8 heaped teaspoons of Nutella onto the baking tray, leaving space between each, and put in the freezer to firm up.

Meanwhile, make the cookie dough.

Melt the butter in 20-second blasts in the microwave until it turns to liquid. Add the light brown and caster sugar and mix together. Add the vanilla extract, whole egg and egg yolk and mix together. Fold the flour into the mixture until it forms a cookie dough. Cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge for at least 3 hours to chill.

Assemble the cookies.

Preheat oven to 180°C and line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. Take the Nutella middles out of the freezer and the cookie dough out of the fridge.

Take a heaped tablespoon of cookie dough, flatten in the palm of your hand and place a frozen Nutella lump in the middle. Now take another heaped tablespoon of cookie dough and wrap around the Nutella so that it’s completely covered and concealed. Place on the baking tray and press a handful of chocolate chips into the top of the cookie ball.

Repeat for the remaining 7 cookies. Remember to leave space between each cookie ball so they have room to spread out. I baked mine in batches with 3 cookies on each baking tray.

Bake the cookies.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown on the edges and lightly browned in the middle but still soft. Cool for 10 minutes on the baking tray, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Cookie recipe inspiration