Another Year Wiser

Here’s to another trip around the sun and I am looking forward to more laughs, tears, and what nots. To celebrate the day, I made my own birthday cake. It’s a Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake. I missed baking. I always make celebration cakes for my children when they were little. Since being busy with WTM, I seldom bake anymore. Now, this finally happened.

I would love to share the recipe to you. It is so easy to make. Check the details below.

Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake

You will need:

Chocolate Cake
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups caster sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/2 vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup hot water

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
300 g caster sugar
200 g egg whites
400 g softened unsalted butter, cubed
2 tbsp peanut butter

For garnish
6 Reese cups, chopped
3 Reese cups, halved

Steps:
Make the chocolate cake layers

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C) and prepare 44 8 inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper in the bottom.

2. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside.

3. Add milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.

4. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.

5. Slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepapred cake pans and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

7. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling..

To make the frosting

1. Combine the sugar and eggwhites in the heatproof bowl. Sit the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the water touch the bowl) abd cook, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 70 C (158 F) on a sugar thermometer or the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.

2. Use the whisk attachment of the mixer and whisk the misture on high speed until stiff peaks form and the bowl is cool to touch. Switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter, one cube at a time. Mix buttercream for a good 7 to 10 minutes or until smooth and glossy.

3. Add the peanut butter and mix at low speed until combined well.

To build the cake

1. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or cardboard cake circle and top with about 1 cup of buttercream. Smooth frosting into an even layer. Sprinkle chopped reese on top of the frosting, and press into the frosting.

2. Add next cake layer, and top with frosting. Smooth frosting anto an even layer. Sprinkle reese on top of the frosting and press into it.

3. Repeat no. 2 until reaching the final cake layer.

4. Frost the cake sides and top. Use an offset spatula to smoothen the buttercream and cover the entire cake.

5. Set the cake aside and refrigerate for a few minutes.

Decorate the cake

1. Use a star pipping tip. Make a rose swirl on top of the cake. top. Fill the top with swirls.

2. Add the halved Reese on top of each swirl.

3. Decorate the remaining chopped Reese at the top center of the cake.

4. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

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So excited to share this to you, because it has been a long while since I shared a recipe. Anyway, feel free to try this. and enjoy.

❤❤❤

Tess xx