Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cake with Caramel Chocolate Ganache

Ok I confess, baking isn’t always my thing; I am more of an intuitive cook rather than one who likes to follow instructions to the letter. However I was so excited when I came up with this cake that I will definitely be making it again!

I almost always try and use whatever is in season in my recipes but was feeling uninspired by the ingredients available around my birthday. But when are peanut butter and chocolate not in season!?

I suggest buying some ‘cake bands’ and using them whenever you are making a layer cake as they mean the cake will be level and not domed in the middle which makes it much easier when it comes to icing.

Serves: 12

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour, plus chilling

Ingredients:

Cake-

400g self raising gluten free flour

1.5 tsp xantham

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

130g dark brown sugar

170g golden caster

115g unsalted butter

120ml walnut oil

2 tsp vanilla paste

250g smooth peanut butter

4 large eggs

280ml milk

Caramel chocolate ganache-

440g dark chocolate

240g caster sugar

80ml water

460 ml double cream

60g butter

Peanut butter icing-

85g butter

125g smooth peanut butter

200g icing sugar, sifted

115ml double cream

1 tsp vanilla paste

350g roasted peanuts

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease and line 3x20cm cake tins. Soak the even bake strips in cold water for a couple of minutes and then secure tightly around the tins.

2. Sift the flour, xantham, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and mix briefly.

3. Add the butter and sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer and blend with the beater attachment for a couple of minutes until well combined and creamy. Slowly add the walnut oil and beat again, scraping down the sides if needed. Add the vanilla paste and the peanut butter and beat the mixture for a few minutes more on a medium-high speed until everything is well incorporated and creamy.

4. Reduce the speed a little. Beat the eggs in a measuring jug slowly add to the batter, scraping down again if needed. Add the flour mix a few tablespoons at a time whilst the mixer is running.

5. Slowly add the milk and beat until incorporated, finishing by hand if necessary. Pour the mix into the prepared tins, there will be roughly 500g per tin. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until lightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Once completely cook, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge to firm up.

6. To make the chocolate ganache, measure out the chocolate into a large bowl and set aside. Put the sugar and water into a saucepan, give it a quick stir to dissolve the sugar. Place over a medium heat and allow it to simmer without stirring. Once the amber colour has started in the centre of the pan, tilt and swirl it gently until you have an even medium amber colour through out.

7. Take the pan off the heat and pour in the cream. Do this a little at a time if needed as the mix will bubble and rise up in the pan.

8. Place the pan back on the heat and add the butter and stir until all the ingredients are well combined and the sugar has melted into the cream.

9. Pour the caramel mixture over the chocolate and stir with a spatular until the chocolate has melted. Allow the ganache to cool for at least 2 hours at room temperature and then pop into the fridge for another 30 minutes to firm up to spreading consistency. It may take quite a while to be ready to put in the fridge, depending on the temperature of your home.

10. For the peanut butter icing, blend butter and peanut butter together in a mini food processor. Add the sugar, cream and vanilla paste and blend again. Decant into a piping bag lined with a star shaped nozzle and store in the fridge until needed.

11. To assemble the cake, place one of the sponges on a plate or turn table. Spread around a 1cm level layer of the ganache onto the cake, using a long metal spatula. Repeat with the remaining two layers.

12. At this point you should have about ⅖ of the mixture left. Add a little at a time to the outside of the cake, spinning as you go until its covered: its good to do this roughly in two layers incase any crumbs break into the icing. Smooth the top of the cake as well as you can but don’t worry too much about the sides as you are about to cover it in peanuts.

13. Finely chop or blitz the peanuts in a food processor. Taking then in small handfuls, carefully press them into the exterior of the cake to form an even layer form top to bottom.

14. Carefully pipe the peanut butter rosettes onto the cake in a circle. The best and most even way to do this is by starting with 4 opposite each other and then filling in the gaps. This cake keeps well in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 3 days due to the addition of the oil.