CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER LAYER CAKE
Preparation 1 hour, plus cooling Cooking around 45 minutes Serves 16
Chocolate and peanut butter is an enticing combination.
250G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED, PLUS EXTRA TO GREASE 100G COCOA POWDER, SIFTED 2 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT 200G DARK BROWN SOFT SUGAR 250G CASTER SUGAR 4 LARGE EGGS 400G PLAIN FLOUR 1 TSP BAKING POWDER 1 TSP BICARBONATE OF SODA
FOR THE PRALINE CRUMBLE TOPPING
50G CASTER SUGAR 25G SALTED PEANUTS 2 OREO BISCUITS 25G DARK CHOCOLATE, ROUGHLY CHOPPED
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
300G CREAM CHEESE, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE 200G SMOOTH PEANUT BUTTER 700G ICING SUGAR, SIFTED
FOR THE FILLING AND DECORATION
125G RASPBERRY JAM FRESH RASPBERRIES, TO DECORATE
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven) gas mark 4. Grease and line two deep 20cm round cake tins with baking parchment.
2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa, vanilla, brown sugar and 300ml just-boiled water. Set aside.
3 Using a freestanding mixer (with paddle attachment) or handheld electric beater, beat the butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift over the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and briefly mix to combine. Fold through the slightly cooled cocoa mixture. Divide between the tins and bake for 45 minutes. Leave to cool in the tins.
5 For the praline crumble, line a baking tray with parchment. In a heavy-based pan, heat the sugar and 50ml water, stirring. Turn up the heat and bubble until the caramel turns golden – swirl the pan around instead of stirring. Take off the heat and stir in the peanuts. Turn on to the baking tray and leave to cool.
6 Once the praline is cold, pulse in a food processor with the biscuits to break into smaller pieces. Tip into the bowl, stir through the chocolate and set aside.
7 For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter until pale and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Cover and chill until needed.
8 Slice the cooled cakes in half. Sandwich the layers back together with a thin layer of raspberry jam topped with a generous layer of frosting. Spread the top with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle a ring of praline crumble around the top and fill with raspberries.