I also thought I'd take the opportunity to try out one of the ideas I've had for my entry in the Great Leeds Bake Off next month, a charity event organised by Age UK as part of the Leeds Loves Food festival.
Inspired by Lisa Gair, a.k.a The Yummy Yank, I decided to try a layer cake including a cheesecake layer. Lisa is one of my favourite Stall holders from my local monthly food market, Kirkstall Deli Market. She makes absolutely delicious American desserts - huge layer cakes, brownies and bars - and I just cannot walk past her stall without treating myself to something from her repertoire.
I considered chocolate cake with a peanut butter cheesecake layer, but rather selfishly decided that I'd save that for another day when I'd get to eat more of it!! So after flicking through my new copy of the marvellous Clandestine Cake Club Cookbook, I decided to go for a red velvet cake with a baked vanilla cheesecake layer.
I used a recipe for the cheesecake layer, and the method for the layer cake from the RecipeGirl website. The recipe was for a 9" cheesecake, but as I had 8" pans, I figured I'd factor the recipe down to 80% but then seeing that it contained two eggs, I decided in the end to make the whole recipe, but then just use 80% of the mix for the cheesecake layer, then used the remaining mix to make a couple of small individual cheesecakes - more on those later! Once the cheesecake layer was baked and cooled, I popped it in the freezer for a few hours.
Then this afternoon after picking the kids up from school, I baked two 8" red velvet cake layers using the recipe from the Clandestine Cake Club Cookbook.
Finally this evening after the kids were in bed, I made a batch of the cream cheese frosting and started the assembly job.
First came cake, and then the frozen cheesecake layer.....
Next the top layer.....
Followed by a crumb coating of the frosting.
The cake then went in the fridge for an hour, then I slapped on a thick layer of the completely delicious frosting....
And finally I put white chocolate shavings over the top.....
It's gone back in the fridge now overnight ready for the Fair in the morning. The cake is pretty tall and I'm slightly scared that the lid of my cake carrier won't fit! Ah well I'm sure it'll work out ok.
Can't wait to see what it looks like when it's cut into, and of course taste it! Will take some pics tomorrow and report back!
****** Update *****
****** Update *****
Just back from the school fair, and the cake sold out! I managed to have a piece myself and it was scrummy.
When there was just under a quarter of it left, the woman who had the first slice just bought the whole remaining chunk!
My poor Other Half will be gutted I didn't bring any home for him!!
