Is there any combination of flavors better on earth than Chocolate and Peanut Butter? For a person who happens to love chocolate and peanut butter together, absolutely not!
Chocolate and peanut butter are a beautiful classic combination. Think Reeses Peanut Butter Cups here, or Reeses Pieces. Mmm . . . so delicious.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
After the debacle that was my coffee cake at the weekend, I needed to bake another cake to make up for it. I turned to a book which has never let me down.
Snacking Cakes by Yossy Arefi. I have never baked a cake yet out of that book that has failed me. All have turned out beautifully.
Plus they are the perfect size for a person who lives on their own with only the occasional guest. An 8-inch square cake works for me. I don't need oodles of layers to impress or satisfy me.
She also gives lots of baking options with her recipes, options for other types of tins you can bake them in. Loaf, round, doubled and in a Bundt tin. Something for everyone!
Snack cakes are always a moist and delicious option for the smaller family. Perfectly portable they are great for in bag lunches as well.
I just don't think you can go wrong with a snack cake and this one happens to be a really delicious option. Dark and dense, with plenty of chocolate peanut butter flavor. And that glaze is to die for.
Just a touch of frosting without going over the top. The added crunch of chopped salted peanuts on top is the piece de resistance!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE
Simple every day ingredients from a simple every day kitchen.
For the cake:
- light brown sugar (this is what makes the cake so moist)
- large free range eggs (I only ever use free range)
- smooth peanut butter
- canola oil (you can use any flavorless neutral oil)
- whole milk (full fat milk)
- vanilla extract (I only use pure vanilla extract)
- salt
- cocoa powder (Make sure you sift it to get the lumps out)
- all purpose plain flour
- baking soda, and baking powder
- strong hot coffee (or water. Coffee really helps to enhance the chocolate flavor however)
The frosting also uses only simple ingredients.
For the frosting:
- peanut butter
- icing sugar (also known as powdered sugar or confectioners)
- vanilla extract (again pure)
- hot water
You will also need some chopped roasted and salted peanuts to scatter over the top. She also suggests a smattering of flaked sea salt, but I did not add that.
If I had it available to me I would use Skippy peanut butter. I don't however, so have used Kraft smooth peanut butter. Don't be tempted to use an all natural peanut butter. You will not get the same results.
You can also use Dutch process cocoa powder. Not this is cocoa powder, not chocolate drink mix. You would be surprised at home many people think they are the same thing. THEY ARE NOT!
Cocoa powder is a chocolate powder made from grinding roasted cocoa seeds. Cocoa drink mix is cocoa powder mixed with things like powdered milk and sugar.
You could eat a tsp of cocoa drink mix and it wouldn't taste too bad. You could not eat a tsp of cocoa powder. Yossi suggests using Dutch process cocoa powder. I have just used regular cocoa powder.
Natural cocoa powder (what I used) is untreated, so it maintains its light brown color and is slightly acidic, with a pH between five and six.
Dutch-processed cocoa powder (also referred to as Dutched chocolate, European-style or alkalized) is made from beans that have been washed with an alkaline solution that neutralizes that natural acidity and raises their pH to closer to seven.
The process gives the powder a darker color and a smoother, softer flavor. Dutch cocoa is also not quite as chocolaty as natural cocoa. It’s milder overall (but still tasty).
Dutch cocoa powder is also a lot more pricy than regular cocoa powder. Its also not that easy to find in most places. At least not here anyways.
If you have it, by all means use it!
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE
This is a really easy cake to make. Most snack cakes are. You can of course beat it all together by hand, but I think an electric hand mixer makes putting it together a lot faster and easier.
You begin by beating the brown sugar and eggs together until they are light and frothy. I always use free range eggs. This is because I can afford them, and I refuse to support an industry which is cruel to its animals.
Once you have done this you beat in the peanut butter and remaining wet ingredients, beating them only until everything is smooth and well mixed together.
I like to sift all of my dry ingredients together so that they are evenly mixed. I especially want the baking powder and soda to be mixed into the flour properly.
The dry ingredients get stirred in next. You can do this by hand with a wire whisk. Finally you whisk in a cup of hot coffee or water. I used coffee because coffee greatly enhances the flavor of chocolate.
Pour the batter into a square pan that you have buttered and lined with baking paper and bake for the required amount of time. Once done it will be risen, spring back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean.
You then leave it to cool in the pan for fifteen minutes, sitting on a wire rack. I think this adds to the moist texture of the cake. After that you can lift it out of the pan and onto the wire rack to cool completely.
The drizzle/frosting/ glaze is an easy make as well. As simple as whisking together icing sugar, creamy peanut butter, vanilla and hot water. Add the hot water a bit at a time. First 1 TBS and then, if its too thick, add the remaining TBS in small bits until you get the consistency you want.
This then gets spooned/drizzled/poured over the cooled cake. I used the back of a metal spoon to spread it out to the edges.
Once spread out you can scatter it with the chopped peanuts. They make a lovely touch and look really nice.
Yossy's options for other pans include a 9 X 5 X 3 inch loaf tin. A 9-inch round tin. The loaf tin will require approximately 60 minute to bake and you will only need half the amount of glaze. The round cake will take the same time as the square.
Altogether this is a really delicious snack cake. Its dense and moist with a rich chocolate flavor. You cannot taste the coffee at all. Its just chocolate.
The frosting is its crowning glory and enhances the peanut butter chocolate flavor. I loved the crunch of the salted peanuts on top, but I am thinking chopped or mini peanut butter cups would also be incredibly lush and delicious.
One thing is certain, this is destined to be a much requested snack cake in your repertoire of snack cakes!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Yield: 9
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 4 M
This moist and dense cake is a classic combination of flavors that your family are sure to enjoy!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1/2 cup (125g) smooth peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (120ml) canola oil
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (45g) cocoa powder (not drink mix), sifted
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking power
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water or coffee
For the glaze frosting:
- 1 cup (130g) icing sugar, sifted
- 2 TBS smooth peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 TBS hot water
- 1/2 cup (55g) chopped roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8-inch square baking tin. Line with baking paper leaving an overhang on two sides for lifting out. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and brown sugar together until frothy and pale. Beat in the peanut butter, milk, oil and vanilla until smooth and mixed well together.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, soda and baking powder. Stir into the creamed mixture until well combined and smooth. Stir in the hot coffee or water, again mixing it together until well combined and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin. Give the tin a light tap on the counter a few times to let out any air bubbles.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes. The top should be well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Remove from the oven to a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes on the rack, before lifting out the cake and leaving on the rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting/glaze, whisk together the icing sugar, peanut butter, hot water and vanilla until you have a smooth mixture which you can spread easily over the top of the cake. Spread onto the cake and scatter the chopped peanuts over top.
- Cut into squares to serve.
I am going to my sister's for supper tonight for cabbage rolls. She is making them from scratch. We have both been craving them. I am really looking forward to them myself! Homemade Cabbage Rolls are the best!
I said that I would bring dessert. I never like to go anyplace to eat empty handed. Desserts are always welcome and to be honest, I think they take a bit of stress off of the hostess.
We all enjoy apple pie and this is the height of apple season. The shops are filled with an abundance of different varieties. I love the smell in the produce aisle at this time of year.
Heck I love the smell outdoors this time of year, it is all drying leaves, and ripe apples, and pumpkin . . . . soon to be burnt pumpkin!
The recipe I am sharing was one from the cookbook entitled The Complete Book of Baking by Pillsbury. I had originally gotten this book back in the mid 1990's.
We were living in Meaford, Ontario at the time. There was a book shop at the edge of town that dealt in lots of books, mostly out of print, etc. You could get books for a really reasonable price.
I picked this one up and it was destined to become one of my favorite ones. I was unable to take it with me when I moved over to the UK, so when I was there I procured another copy.
Yes, I did like the book that much! Of course I was unable to bring it back with me when I returned to Canada last year. Thankfully my father still had my old copy and he wanted to give it back to me. (He doesn't cook at all these days.) I happily accepted his offer.
It is filled with a multitude of baking recipes. Everything from the very basics to the more elaborate. If you are looking for a good every day baking book, I highly recommend it.
There are eight different apple pie recipes in it, each one sounding more delicious than the last. This is one of them. Apple Cobblestone Pie.
A delicious single crust apple pie, filled with quartered apples and topped with a crisp, sweet and buttery coconut streusel topping. What's not to love about that!
WHAT ARE THE BEST APPLES FOR BAKING WITH
Not all apples are created equal. Some are great for eating out of hand, but not so good for baking. Some are good for baking, but not so good for eating out of hand.
Apple varieties good for baking and cooking have a tart flavor and firm texture. In North America for successful results choose Jonathan, McIntosh, Winesap, Granny Smith, Rhode Island Greening, Rome Beauty, or Northern Spy varieties.
In the UK, Bramley apples are top of the list, followed by Granny Smith, Braeburn, Cortland, Pippins, and Blenheim Orange.
One pound of apples s the equivalent of 3 medium apples and will yield 3 cups of slices apples.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE APPLE COBBLESTONE PIE
Simple wholesome ingredients, except for the sugar that is.
- one 9-inch unbaked deep pie crust
- 6 to 10 medium apples
- granulated sugar
- all purpose flour (plain flour)
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- lemon juice
- coconut
- butter
If you are looking for a good pastry recipe, I highly recommend my butter and lard pastry. You can find the recipe for that here. You will need to scroll down the page a bit.
HOW TO MAKE THE FILLING FOR APPLE COBBLESTONE PIE
This has to be one of the simpler fillings to make for an apple pie. I used 6 medium to large apples for my pie. You will need to remove their peelings and then cut them into quarters. Once you have done that it is very easy to remove and discard the cores.
A mixture of flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar is put into a bowl. Add the apple quarters and toss everything together to coat along with a tablespoon of lemon juice.
These get laid out into the pie crust, rounded sides up. I started at the outer edge and worked my way inwards, overlapping them a tiny bit to get them all in.
Once you have made and placed the filling you can make the streusel topping.
HOW TO MAKE THE STREUSEL TOPPING
Streusel toppings are usually fairly easy to make. They are as simple as stirring together some dry ingredients and rubbing in butter until you have a crumble mixture.
This streusel contains coconut. I used unsweetened shredded coconut. The recipe did not specify sweetened or not, but with sugar in the base/filling as well as in the streusel, I figured I could not go wrong by using unsweetened.
I always put my fruit pies onto a aluminum foil lined baking sheet to bake. You never know if a fruit pie is going to bubble over. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Or in this case it helps to prevent you from having to clean up burnt on sticky fruit juices and sugar from the floor of your oven.
This pie bubbled over the edge only a little bit, but I was still happy that I had used a baking sheet beneath the pie to catch it.
Because of the sweet nature of the streusel topping and the coconut it contains you may be worried that the topping will get too dark or even start to burn. The oven temperature is fairly high. (375*F/195*C)
Do keep an eye on the pie and check it about half way through the bake time. If you feel it is getting too dark, place a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over top. This will help to prevent the topping from burning.
You can always remove it for the last five minutes of bake time to crisp things up again if you are worried about that!
It is one thing to cut a piece out of a pie you are going to serve at home, but something else to cut a piece out of a pie you are bringing to someone else's home!
This would be delicious served warm or at room temperature with a scoop of ice cold vanilla ice cream on top or in the British way with some custard sauce or pouring cream!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Apple Cobblestone Pie
Yield: 8 servings
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 38 MinTotal time: 53 Min
This single crust apple pie boasts a coconut streusel topping. The pie itself is said to look like cobblestones. Its delicious no matter how it looks!
Ingredients
You will need:
- Pastry for one 9-inch unbaked single pie crust.
For the Filling:
- 6 to 10 medium apples, peeled, cored and quartered
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 3 TBS all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 TBS lemon juice
For the streusel topping:
- 2/3 cup coconut (50g) (the recipe did not specify sweetened or unsweetened. I used unsweetened)
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour (35g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 2 TBS butter at room temperature
Instructions
- Prepare the pastry and use it to line a 9 inch deep pie dish, taking care not to stretch or tear the pastry and fluting the edge all the way around.
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/gas mark 5. Place the pastry lined pie dish onto a foil lined baking sheet. Set aside.
- Peel, quarter and core your apples. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and apples together in a bowl along with the lemon juice. Combine well the apples are well coated.
- Arrange the apples in the pastry lined pie dish, rounded sides up, so that they resemble a cobbled street. Sprinkle any sugar mixture remaining in the bowl over top.
- Combine all of the topping ingredients together in a bowl, rubbing them together until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over top of the apples.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the apples are tender. If you think the streusel is getting to dark, cover lightly with a piece of aluminum foil, removing it for the last five minutes.
- Cut into wedges to serve. Ice cream goes very nicely!
Notes:
Large apples can be substituted for medium apples, peel and core as above, but cut each into 6 pieces.
Every have one of those days? I had such a day today. This morning I decided I was going to bake Mary Berry's Coffee Victoria Sponge Cake. I love her recipes and I adore any cake that is coffee flavored.
I had spectacular failure, which doesn't normally happen with me. I was standing at the sink doing dishes and I heard a kind of a popping noise behind me.
I turned around thinking that the kittens had finally gotten to the stage where they can jump on the countertop. (Yikes!) I am not looking forward to that stage!
It was not the cats. I had no idea (at that time) what the noise might have been. So I finished the dishes and went to check on my cake layers only to discover they had fallen.
Mystery solved.
I have never had that happen before. I have never had a cake fall so spectacularly that it actually made a noise when it happened! Have you?
I have had cakes fall, just not that I had actually heard the moment it happened. They are still edible, but I will have to find another use for them. I was thinking perhaps a type of tiramisu trifle of sorts?
We shall see. In any case the episode left me without anything to really show you today in the baking arena. On the weekends I like to highlight baking recipes because I know people have more time to bake on Saturday and Sunday.
I don't know about you, but I, personally, happen to like a bit of cake or a cookie at the weekend. Maybe a pie. I don't eat a lot dessert-wise during the week, but at the weekend, I like to splurge a bit.
I decided to update this older post for a Cinnamon Drizzle Cake that I baked and shared almost 10 years ago now. I hope you will forgive me for repeating myself.
Some things do bear repeating however, and this tasty loaf cake is one of them.
This recipe is for an amazingly moist cinnamon cake, baked in a loaf tin. It smells heavenly when its baking, just a small warning there.
While its baking you make a maple and cinnamon drizzle syrup, which you spoon over the warm cake when it comes out of the oven. Making it even moister and more cinnamony.
I have oodles of recipes on here, so many that often things get hidden and never discovered. This cake is one of my hidden gems.
So delicious that I felt it bore repeating. Just in case some of you had missed it the first time around. And I wager that is more than a few of you.
This is a simple cake to make. A quick and easy cake to make. But, don't let its simplicity fool you into thinking that it isn't something special, because it really is!
I am a proponent of the simple things in life. I have always felt that it is the simple things in life which bring us the most joy and meaning, and this cake is guaranteed to bring you and your family plenty of joy!
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE CINNAMON DRIZZLE CAKE
Simple, simple simple. I bet you have everything in the kitchen right now.
For the cake:
butter (I use regular lightly salted butter)
caster sugar (you can use regular granulated sugar here in North America)
dark muscovado sugar (you can use dark brown sugar)
free range eggs (I always use free range)
self rising flour (I give instructions in the recipe notes on how to make your own)
ground cinnamon (I like Saigon)
For the drizzle:
maple syrup (don't use pancake syrup, use only pure maple syrup)
cinnamon sticks (one cinnamon stick broken in half)
water (just from the tap will do)
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON DRIZZLE CAKE
Incredibly easy to make, this is bound to become a favorite. I always begin by preheating my oven and buttering my pan. You will need a 9 by 4 inch loaf tin for this cake. Line it with paper and then butter the paper.
Once you have done that you can start mixing the cake together. Just a tip here, when I am making cakes I like to have everything, all my ingredients, at room temperature unless otherwise specified. I find this gives you the best results.
You will need to cream the butter and both sugars together. Sometimes brown types of sugars can be lumpy. If you like you can push it through a sieve to remove the lumps, or you can press them out with your fingertips.
When we were children we loved to come across a lump of caramelized brown sugar in our cakes and cookies. It was like finding candy. As a baker, I don't want that to happen, so I do try to take out any lumps.
Once you have done this you can beat in the eggs, a bit at a time. The reason we do this is so that the mixture doesn't curdle. If you find that your mixture is curdling, just beat in a spoonful of the flour needed for the recipe.
That is guaranteed to get rid of any curdles.
The cake does use self raising flour. Sometimes that can be a bit hard to find, but I tell you in the recipe notes how to make your own. Its really very easy.
You will want to sift your flour together with the cinnamon so that the cinnamon is evenly distributed. Once you have done that you can fold the flour into the beaten mixture using a large metal spoon.
I just use a large serving spoon or a dessert spoon. You want to fold the flour in using a cutting motion. This is so that you don't lose any of the lift from the air you have beaten into the batter.
Fold it in only until no dry streaks remain.
Then you can spoon it into your prepared loaf tin, smoothing over the top. Bake as per the recipe. While it is baking you will want to make the syrup for spooning over the top of the warm cake.
Just combine all of the drizzle ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently until you can smell the cinnamon, then set it aside and keep it warm on low until you take your cake out of the oven.
Once you have the cake out of the oven, then drizzle the cinnamon syrup over the cake a bit at a time letting it absorb as you go along until you have used it all up. Leave the cake to cool in the tin completely before removing it.
I did dust the top of mine with some icing sugar and used the "spent" cinnamon sticks as a garnish. I thought it looked quite pretty, but that's just me.
You can enjoy it cut into thick slices as is, or if you are like me and you can't resist it, a bit of softened butter on this goes a lovely long way. Mmmm . . . . Easy to make and bake. Smells and tastes good. Works for me!
Cinnamon Drizzle Cake
Yield: 8
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min
Moist and lightly spiced with cinnamon with a scrummy cinnamon/maple drizzle which is poured over the warm cake, soaking in and making it even more delicious!
Ingredients
For the Loaf:
- 3/4 cup (175g) butter, softened
- 1/3 cup (85g) of caster sugar (1/3 cup)
- 7 TBS of dark muscovado sugar (can use dark brown sugar)
- 3 large free range eggs, beaten
- 1 heaped tsp of ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) of sifted self raising flour (see note on how to make your own)
For the drizzle:
- 1/2 cup (120ml) of pure maple syrup
- 1 large cinnamon stick broken in half
- 3 TBS water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C180*C./350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 by 4 inch loaf tin and line with parchment paper. Butter the paper.
- Cream the butter and both sugars together until light and creamy. (You may have to rub the muscovado sugar with your fingers first to break up any lumps)
- Beat in the eggs, a little bit at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Sift together the flour and cinnamon. Gently fold this into the creamed mixture with a large metal spoon, using a cutting motion, until all is well amalgamated and no dry streaks remain.
- Spoon into the prepared loaf tin, smoothing the top over.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cake is risen and springs back when gently touched on the top, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, about 5 minutes before the cake is done, combine all the drizzle ingredients in a small saucepan and gently heat until it all smells nice and cinnamon-like. Remove the cinnamon stick and set aside for the moment.
- Pour the drizzle syrup over top of the warm cake, allowing it to soak in as you pour. Allow to cool in the pan completely, before turning out onto a serving plate. If desired you may decorate with the cinnamon stick pieces, but do remove before serving. Cut into slices to serve.
Notes:
It is very easy to make your own self rising flour. For every 1 cup (140g) you need, add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. I usually make this up 4 to 5 cups at a time and store it in a tightly covered container in the cupboard.
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