Author: Janke

Isn’t she lovely! I’m convinced that this will be one of the moistest cakes you’ll ever taste. The flavours and textures will exceed all your expectations. I am excited for her to become one of your new favourites…

INGREDIENTS

CAKE
4 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sunflower/canola oil
2 cups pumpkin, steamed and mashed (Tip 1)
1 tbsp vanilla essence
1 apple, grated
1 cup pecan/pistachio nuts (optional)
2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice (Tip 2)
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ginger

CARAMEL CREAM CHEESE ICING
100g butter, room temperature
400g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tin caramel treat
1 tub (230g) cream cheese
¼ tsp salt

METHOD

CAKE
1. Prepare two round cake tins (21-23cm) with baking paper and non-stick spray.
2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC and place the oven rack in the middle.
3. In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, whisk together the eggs, oil and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the pumpkin, vanilla essence, apple and nuts (optional) to the wet ingredients. Mix until well combined.
5. Sift all the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. 
6. Divide the cake batter between the prepared cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a test/wooden pin comes out without any runny batter on it (Tip 3).
7. Allow the cakes to cool down for 10 minutes before loosening the sides and demoulding them onto cooling racks. 

CARAMEL CREAM CHEESE ICING (Tip 4)
1. In a medium bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer until light, fluffy and pale. This is the most time-consuming step, but it delivers a high volume and creamy icing.
2. Add the icing sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until well combined and creamy (Tip 5).
3. Add the vanilla essence, caramel treat, cream cheese and salt. Mix until just combined.
4. Allow the cakes to cool down completely before icing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy with your loved ones!

TIPS
1. I used “boerpampoen” and would recommend it, although butternut will also work. It's important to measure the pumpkin raw and diced, not mashed.
2. If you can’t find mixed spice, you can adjust the other spices; add 2 tsp of cinnamon and ½ a teaspoon of cloves, nutmeg and ginger.
3. I use a scale when dividing the cake batter to ensure that the cake layers are the same height and evenly baked. Also, this is a very moist cake, so the cake pin shouldn’t be completely clean when testing the cakes. You shouldn’t see liquid on the pin, but a few crumbs are perfect. 
4. If you want to play around with the decorations (as in the photo), you can use the basic cream cheese icing (add all the ingredients except for the caramel treat), the caramel cream cheese icing (caramel treat added to the cream cheese icing) and thirdly, the remaining caramel treat.
5. At this step you can add your vanilla essence and some of the caramel treat when the mixture becomes too dry. 

I can barely think of a better winter pudding than a classic Malva! This lady is dressed up in winter flavours and will definitely enrich your memories and expectations of her.

INGREDIENTS

PUDDING
1 ¼ cup cake flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup castor sugar
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp apricot jam
1 tbsp white vinegar
½ cup buttermilk
1 orange, juice and zest
SAUCE
¾ cup butter
¾ cup cream
¾ cup Amarula liqueur 
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup water
1 tbsp vanilla
pinch of salt

METHOD

PUDDING
1. Prepare an oven dish of your choice with non-stick spray (the pudding serves 10-12). 
2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC and place the oven rack in the middle.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, bicarb of soda and salt. Repeat 2-3 times.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with an electric mixer. Gradually add the castor sugar and whisk until light and fluffy.
5. In a medium glass jug, mix the rest of the ingredients for the pudding. Microwave until everything has melted (about 45 seconds). 
6. Fold the flour mixture and the butter mixture into the egg mixture. Take turns between the dry and wet ingredients and only mix until just combined.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared oven dish and bake for 30-45 minutes.
8. Once the pudding is baked through, remove from the oven. Use a fork to poke small holes into the warm pudding. 
9. Slowly and equally pour the hot sauce over the pudding until everything is soaked in. 
10. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream and custard. 
SAUCE
1. In a medium pot, add all the ingredients and heat on the stove.
2. Once the sugar has dissolved, boil for 1-2 minutes.
3. Reheat the sauce before pouring it over the pudding.

With winter approaching, it’s time for citrus again! This winning combination isn’t as sweet as a lemon meringue and not as rich as a cheesecake. With all the different flavours and textures, you won’t be able to resist a second helping…

INGREDIENTS

CRUST
1 ½ packets of Tennis Biscuits
125g butter, melted
2 tbsp dukkha (optional)
FILLING
3 x 230g creamed cottage cheese (Tip 1)
4 large eggs, separated 
1 tin condensed milk
1 cup cream
¾ cup freshly pressed lemon juice (3-4 lemons)
rind of 1 lemon, grated
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt
MERINGUE
4-6 egg whites (Tip 2)
200-300g castor sugar
1tsp vanilla essence

METHOD

CRUST
1. Prepare a springform cake tin (23-25cm) with non-stick spray.
2. Add the tennis biscuits, butter and dukkha in a food processor and mix until fine and well combined. You can also mix everything by hand in a mixing bowl.
3. Press the crust onto the bottom and sides of the cake tin. Place the cake tin in the fridge.
FILLING
1. Preheat the oven to 180C with the oven rack at the bottom of the oven.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a mixing bowl when using a hand mixer, whisk the cottage cheese until smooth and creamy. 
3. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
4. Add the condensed milk, cream, lemon juice and zest, vanilla and salt. Mix until everything is well combined.
5. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
MERINGUE (Tip 3)
1. In a clean mixing bowl, whisk your egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
2. Gradually add your castor sugar until medium peaks form. Add your vanilla essence and mix until well combined.
3. Spoon the egg whites over the filling (Tip 4).
4. Bake for 35-40 minutes and leave in the oven to cool down completely, with the oven door closed. 
5. The cheesecake must be completely cooled down and set before removing it from the cake tin to be served. It would be best to rest overnight. 

TIPS
1. If you can’t find cottage cheese, you can use cream cheese. Your bake will just be a bit richer.
2. Use the 4 egg whites remaining from the filling. If you want a higher meringue, add 2 more egg whites, and keep the egg yolks in the fridge for another recipe. Use 200g sugar for 4 egg whites and 300g sugar for 6 egg whites.
3. I used Swiss Meringue for the Cheesecake in the photo, but the basic meringue works just as well and it is less effort. If you want to try the Swiss Meringue, see the next block.
4. Don’t spread the egg whites over the edge of the cake tin, because it will expand in the oven and then the meringue will break when you remove the cheesecake from the tin. Spoon the egg whites over the filling, with a small edge of the filling being visible around the meringue. 

SWISS MERINGUE
INGREDIENTS
4-6 large egg whites
300-400g castor sugar
5ml vanilla essence
Pinch of salt
METHOD
This simply means that you “cook” the egg whites before whisking it. This will increase the volume and glossiness of the meringue. Using this technique, you don’t need to bake the meringue at all, seeing that the egg whites are already cooked. If you prefer some colour, you can quickly blowtorch or grill the meringue in a very hot oven.
1. Remove the pie from the oven, after the cooling period.
2. Fill a small pot with a bit of boiling water to create a double boiler on your stovetop.
3. Add the egg whites and castor sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer. 
4. Place the bowl on top of the small pot with simmering water, not touching the water.
5. With a hand whisk, slowly whisk the egg mixture until all the sugar has dissolved (+-5min). Test this by rubbing some of the mixture between your thumb and index finger to feel for any sugar granules. Also scrape the sides of the bowl down to remove any sugar sticking to the sides.
6. Transfer the bowl to your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until the meringue is thick and glossy, about 10 minutes.
7. Add the vanilla and salt and whisk for another minute.
8. Spoon the meringue over the pie and blowtorch for a golden-brown colour, or grill under a hot oven (220C) for 2-3 minutes, keeping a close eye to not burn the meringue. You can also leave the meringue as it is, without browning. 
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down before removing from the pan (1-2 hours).

A modern twist on a traditional tart, but you will still taste nostalgia. She has a rich and silky filling, baked in sweet shortcrust pastry. Perfect for any season of the year!

INGREDIENTS

CRUST (Tip 1)
125g butter, room temperature
50g castor sugar
1 egg
175g cake flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp mixed spice/cinnamon
Pinch of salt

FILLING
3 cups milk
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tbsp cake flour
2tbsp maizena 
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
4 eggs, separated
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
Cinnamon sugar (to sprinkle on top)

METHOD

CRUST
1. Prepare a springform cake tin (23-25cm) with non-stick spray.
2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and castor sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and mix until well combined. 
4. Sift the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
5. Add the flour mixture, one tablespoon at a time, to the butter mixture until well combined. 
6. Spread the mixture onto the base and sides of the prepared cake tin and put in the fridge for 30-60 minutes to firm up. Keep the crust in the fridge until needed.

FILLING
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the oven rack in the middle.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, mix a ½ cup of milk with the cake flour, maizena, sugar, salt and egg yolks to create a smooth paste.
3. In a large pot, heat the rest of the milk (2 ½ cups) and the cinnamon sticks on the stove top. 
4. Once the mixture starts to boil, carefully pour the milk paste into the pot, while whisking continuously with a hand whisk. 
5. While the mixture is still simmering, whisk until the filling is smooth and thickened. 
6. Remove the pot from the heat and place the butter on top of the filling. Allow the butter to melt and stir the pot until the butter covers the top of the filling (Tip 2).
7. In a medium glass bowl, whisk the egg whites and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the milktart filing.
8. Pour the filling into the prepared crust, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top and bake for 30-35 minutes. 
9. Allow the milktart to cool down before removing it from the cake tin. You can serve the milktart at room temperature or chilled (when kept in the fridge).

TIPS
1. If you prefer a more traditional milktart, you can buy puff pastry from your local supermarket for the crust. 
2. This is a simple way to prevent the top of the filling to form a dry top layer when cooling down.

A playful challenge to start the new year!  I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a big fan of lamingtons, but this is something different. The balance is perfect between light and rich, and smooth and crunchy. She caters for everyone’s taste! 

INGREDIENTS

CAKE
3 cups cake flour
1 ½ cups sugar
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk
1 tbsp vanilla essence

SYRUP
¼ cup cacao
1 ½ cup water
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp butter
500g desiccated coconut 

ICING
300g white chocolate
½ cup cream
1 ½ tub cream cheese (350g)

METHOD

CAKE
1. Prepare 2 (23cm) or 3 (20cm) round cake tins with baking paper and non-stick spray.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C and ensure that the oven rack is in the middle.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients.
4. Make a hole in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour all the wet ingredients into that hole. 
5. With an electric mixer, whisk everything together until smooth and well combined (±5 min).
6. Divide the batter by weight between the cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean when the cake layers are tested.
7. Allow the cake layers to stand for 10 minutes before loosening the sides and demoulding the cakes onto cooling racks. 
8. Once the cakes are cooled down, you can start rolling them into the syrup and coconut (Tip 1).

SYRUP
1. Mix all the ingredients, except the coconut, in a medium sized saucepan. 
2. Allow the sugar to melt over medium heat, stirring regularly. 
3. Bring the mixture to the boil and allow to boil for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour into a glass dish to dip the cakes into the syrup 
(Tip 2).
5. Pour the coconut onto a tray and roll the cakes into the coconut until they are covered with coconut (Tip 3).

ICING
1. Mix the white chocolate and cream in a medium glass jug. Heat in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between the intervals. 
2. Heat until just melted and allow the mixture to cool down a bit.
3. Using an electric whisk, whisk the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. 
4. Fold the chocolate mixture into the cream cheese and mix until well combined.
5. Spread a layer of icing in between each cake layer and on top of the third layer. 

TIPS
1. Handle the cake layers with care and as little as possible to prevent them from breaking. Use egg lifters/ palette knives to handle the cakes and move them between the syrup and coconut and then onto the serving plate.
2. Use a glass dish as close to the size of your cake layer as possible. This way the syrup will be absorbed faster. Keep some of the syrup in a glass jug to pour over the cake layer’s top to minimize the handling and turning of each cake layer.
3. Place the cake layer onto the coconut and sprinkle coconut over the top of the cake and press some coconut to the sides of the cake. 

She takes the cake for me! The harmony between sweet and sour is perfect and the cake layers balance all the flavours out, whilst adding more texture. I will definitely be baking this cake again very soon!    

INGREDIENTS

CAKE
6 Large eggs
2 Cups Sugar
1/3 Cup Oil
1 ½ Cup Water
1 Tbsp Vanilla essence
3 Cups cake flour
4 ½ Tsp Baking powder
¼ Tsp Salt
LEMON CURD (Tip 1)
Juice of 2 lemons (±120g)
150g Castor sugar
90g Butter
3 Eggs
3 Egg Yolks (use egg whites for meringue)
2 Tbsp Corn flour
LEMON SYRUP
½ cup lemon juice
100g sugar
SWISS MERINGUE 
6 egg whites
250g Castor sugar 
Pinch of salt

METHOD

CAKE
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Prepare two round cake tins (21-23cm) with baking paper and non-stick spray.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and pale with an electric mixer (±10 min.)
4. In a jug, mix the oil, water and vanilla and add half of the mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until well combined.
5. Sift the dry ingredients over the egg mixture and whisk until well combined.
6. Add the second half of the water mixture to the batter and mix. 
7. Divide the cake batter between the prepared cake tins and bake for 30-40 minutes. 
8. Allow the cakes to stand for 10 minutes before loosening the sides and demoulding onto cooling racks. 
9. Once the cakes are cooled completely, you can cut each layer into 2 or 3 individual layers, using a sharp bread knife.
10. Pour the syrup onto the first layer, followed by the lemon curd. Repeat with each layer, except the last layer on top of the cake.
LEMON CURD
1. Place the lemon juice, half the sugar and the butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the second half of sugar, with the eggs and corn flour to create a smooth paste.
3. Temper the hot lemon juice into the egg mixture and strain through a sieve into a medium glass bowl (Tip 2).
4.  Place the glass bowl over a small saucepan filled with boiling water to create a Bain Marie (double boiler).
5. Cook the liquid until thick and smooth, while stirring regularly (8-10 minutes). The lemon curd must be piping consistency.
6. Cover the lemon curd with plastic wrap, directly onto the curd, and allow to cool down and set further in the fridge.
LEMON SYRUP
1. In a small saucepan, bring the lemon juice and sugar to the boil and allow to reduce to a syrup consistency (5-8 minutes). The sugar should dissolve before the mixture starts to boil.
2. Remove the syrup from the heat and allow to cool down completely before dripping onto the cake layers.
SWISS MERINGUE 
1. You will use your double boiler from the lemon curd again. 
2. Add the egg whites, sugar and salt to the clean bowl of an electric stand mixer and place over the small pot of simmering water, but don’t allow the bowl to touch the water.
3. Continuously whisk the mixture with a hand whisk until the egg white mixture is hot and the sugar has dissolved (Tip 3). 
4. Remove the bowl from the heat and place into your stand mixer, fitted with the balloon whisk. Start whisking the mixture on high speed until the meringue becomes thick and glossy (5-10 minutes).
5. Allow the meringue to cool down completely before decorating your cake on the outside. You can lightly brown the meringue with a blow torch or in a hot oven of 220ºC for 2-3 minutes (Tip 4).

TIPS
1. You can also buy lemon curd from a supermarket, but I can’t guarantee that the taste will be the same than the homemade version. 
2. To temper a mixture, you slowly add the hot liquid to the cold mixture while whisking continuously to prevent the eggs from scrambling. You then strain the mixture to get rid of any lumps. 
3. Rub the mixture between your fingers to feel if the sugar has dissolved. 
4. Make sure that your oven is preheated so that the cake only spends 2-3 minutes in the hot oven. 

She’s a real coffee lover, but perfectly complements a cup of tea as well. This rich, moist cake comes a long way in our family, and I hope it will stay in yours too.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE 
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
¼ cup milk
2 tsp vanilla essence
3 tbsp coffee powder, dissolved in a bit of boiling water
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 ½ cups cake four 
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
SYRUP
1 ½ cup water
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup coffee powder 
¼ cup brandy
1 tsp vanilla essence
MOUSSE
1 packet caramel instant pudding
1 cup milk
1 tin caramel treat
1 cup cream 
Pinch of salt

METHOD

CAKE
1. Prepare a springform cake tin (21-23cm) with non-stick spray (Tip 1).
2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC and place the oven rack in the middle.
3. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. 
4. Add all the wet ingredients and mix well.
5. Sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
6. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 30-35 minutes. 
7. Using a fork, poke small holes into the cake for the syrup to properly soak into the cake.
SYRUP
1. Place all the ingredients in a medium sized pot. 
2. Stir the mixture over medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Turn the heat up and allow the mixture to boil until it reduces to a syrup-like consistency (5-7 minutes).
4. Pour the hot syrup over the cake and allow to cool down in the cake tin (Tip 2).
MOUSSE
1. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, whisk the instant pudding and milk until thick and creamy (2-3 minutes).
2. Add the tin of caramel treat and whisk until smooth. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream until medium peaks form (Tip 3).
4. Fold the cream into the caramel mixture just until combined.
5. Spread the mousse over the cooled cake and top with flake/chopped chocolate. 
6. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and allow to set in the fridge for a few hours before serving. 

TIPS
1. The cake bakes very well in a regular glass dish as well, any shape will work, just compare the size with a cake tin. 
2. Only remove the cake from the cake tin once the mousse on top has set. 
3. Be very careful to not overwhip the cream. When you doubt the consistency, rather stop whisking sooner than later. 

A very easy treat for the weekend! She is so simple yet satisfying and I bet you already have the ingredients in your pantry. The chocolate layer cracks when you bite through the truffle, while the filling melts in your mouth. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS (30-40 truffles)

 1 cup Peanut Butter
 1 cup Caramel Treat
 ½ cup Icing Sugar
 2 tsp Vanilla Essence/Any Liquor
 1 tsp Salt
 200g Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped 

METHOD

 1. Prepare two plates that fit into your freezer with non-stick spray.
 2. In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients with an electric mixer, except the chocolate.
 3. When the mixture is smooth and well combined, start rolling truffles between your palms. 
 4. Place the truffles on your prepared plate, cover them with plastic wrap and place them into the freezer for 1 hour.
 5. Prepare a serving tray with baking paper and non-stick spray. 
 6. Melt the chocolate in the microwave and stir every 30 seconds until just melted. 
 7. Dip the truffles in the melted chocolate and place them onto the baking paper (Tip 1).
 8. Once the chocolate is set, you can carefully move the truffles to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge.  

TIPS
 1. I used a teaspoon to fold the truffle into the chocolate and then lift the truffle out onto a fork for the excess chocolate to drip off into the bowl. I then used another fork to slide the truffle onto the baking paper.  

She’s a perfectly balanced dessert! The rich mousse melts in your mouth while the meringue gives a light, crunchy texture. Everyone around the table will help themselves to a second bowl of dessert.

INGREDIENTS

 MERINGUE (Tip 1)
 5 Egg whites
 1 cup Castor sugar 
 1 tsp Vanilla essence
 MOUSSE
 150g Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped
 30g Butter
 3 Large eggs, separated
 2 tbsp Brandy
 Pinch of salt
 1 ½ cup cream, whipped to soft peaks
 CHOCOLATE DECORATIONS (OPTIONAL)
 50 Dark chocolate, finely chopped
 80g Milk chocolate, roughly chopped 

METHOD

 MERINGUE
 1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Prepare a baking tray with baking paper and non-stick spray (Tip 2). 
 2. Whisk the egg whites in a large, clean glass bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
 2. Gradually add the castor sugar, one tablespoon at a time, then add the vanilla essence.
 3. Whisk for another 3-5 minutes to ensure that all the sugar has dissolved. 
 4. Spoon the meringue mixture onto your prepared baking tray and shape. 
 5. Bake the meringue for 25-30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 110ºC and bake for another 10-15 minutes 
    until crisp and light brown. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly for the meringue to  
    cool down in the oven. 
 MOUSSE
 1. Melt the dark chocolate and the butter in a medium bowl in the microwave until just melted. Stir 
    every 30 seconds to prevent the mixture from burning.
 2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, brandy and salt. Keep the egg whites in a 
    separate glass bowl to whisk later.
 3. Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the melted chocolate mixture and allow to cool down.
 4. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture (Tip 3).
 5. Whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the 
    chocolate mixture.
 6. Cover the mousse mixture with plastic wrap and allow to set in the fridge for 6-8 hours or 
    overnight.
 CHOCOLATE DECORATIONS
 1. Melt the milk chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave until just melted. Stir every 30 
    seconds.
 2. Drip the melted chocolate over the cooled meringue.
 ASSEMBLE
 1. Spoon the set mousse on top of the meringue and top with fresh fruit like berries or dates and 
    the dark chocolate. Serve immediately.  

TIPS
 1. You can easily make individual desserts. Just shape your meringue into individual nests on the 
    baking tray before baking and spoon the mousse into each meringue afterwards. A piping bag helps 
    a lot to create even meringue nests. 
 2. It helps to draw a circle on your baking paper of the size you would want your meringue to be, 
    before spraying with non-stick spray. I drew a 20cm circle, but you can use any shape and size 
    you want. This gives a good guideline when spooning your meringue onto the paper. 
 3. Be very careful to not overwhip your cream; it can easily form a buttery texture. I always tell 
    myself to stop whisking cream just before you think it’s ready, because only a few seconds 
    longer can be too late.  

An absolute shoutout to my fiancé for inspiring this cake! She’s so mature and playful at the same time.

INGREDIENTS

 CAKE
 250g butter
 200g dark chocolate
 1 ½ cup sugar
 1 cup milk
 1 tbsp vanilla essence
 1/3 cup whiskey
 1 ¾ cup cake flour
 1 tsp baking powder
 ¼ cup cacao powder
 ½ tsp salt
 2 large/XL eggs
  
 WHISKEY SYRUP (Optional)
 ½ cup boiling water
 ½ cup castor sugar
 ½ cup whiskey
  
 CREAM CHEESE ICING
 100g butter
 400g icing sugar
 1 tub (230g) cream cheese
 1-2 tbsp whiskey/vanilla essence 

METHOD

CAKE
 1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and place the oven rack in the middle.
 2. Prepare a bunt cake tin with non-stick spray. Spray generously! (Tip 1)
 3. In a medium pot, heat together the butter, chocolate, sugar, milk, vanilla and whiskey. Once the   
    mixture is melted and smooth, remove it from the heat and allow to cool down for 10 minutes.
 4. Pour the mixture into another large mixing bowl (preferably glass) to speed up the cooling 
    process.
 5. Sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined.
 6. Add the eggs and whisk until well combined and smooth.
 7. Pour the batter into your prepared cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until the cake is set 
    (Tip 2).
 8. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to rest and cool down for 15 minutes inside of the cake 
    tin before loosening the sides and demoulding onto a cooling rack.
 9. Pour the syrup over the cake and allow to cool down completely (Tip 3).
 10. Decorate the cake with your icing and store at room temperature (Tip 4).
  
 WHISKEY SYRUP
 1. In a small pot over the stovetop, stir together all the ingredients over low heat until the sugar 
    has dissolved. 
 2. Increase the heat and allow the mixture to boil until the liquid reduces to a third of the 
    mixture. 
  
 CREAM CHEESE ICING
 1. In a medium bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer until light, fluffy and pale. This is 
    the most time-consuming step.
 2. Add the whiskey to the creamed butter and whisk until just combined. 
 3. Add the icing sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until well combined and creamy.
 4. Add the cream cheese and mix until just combined. 

TIPS
 1. If you don’t have a bunt cake tin, you can use a regular round cake tin, or even two tins to 
    create a layered cake. Be sure to prepare these with wax paper as well.
    You can make cupcakes from this recipe as well and bake them for 20-25 minutes.
 2. Due to the texture of the cake, the cake should just be set. If a cake tester comes clean out of 
    this cake, it’s overbaked. 
 3. Place the cooling rack over a tray before slowly pouring the syrup over the cake. 
 4. A butter cake dries out when stored in the fridge. You can place the cake in the fridge for an 
    hour after decorating to allow the icing to firm up a bit, but then you should remove the cake and 
    allow it to reach room temperature before serving.