Bake Off Bake Along: Week 1 - Jaffa Cakes


And so there it is, the Great British Bake Off is back again for another summer in the tent of dreams. With week one starting as cake week, I thought the title of Star Baker would be an absolute steal.

I was super tempted to make a drizzle cake or something with a super glossy mirror glaze. But, in the name of challenge, I tried my hand at making my own jaffa cakes. Finesse and patience just isn't my way but that's exactly what I love about baking along with the show, you get to try things you wouldn't normally bake.

And do you know what? They aren't as difficult as they look. A super quick sponge bottom that bakes up in just 5 minutes, a homemade orange jelly and a coating of dark chocolate. The only difficulty is getting the perfect topping. Whilst these aren't the most uniform, there's absolutely no comparison to shop bought, sorry McVities!


J A F F A   C A K E S
(Recipe adapted from The Guardian, makes 12 jaffa cakes)

For the sponge:

1 large egg, plus one extra yolk
40g caster sugar
40g plain flour
zest of 1 orange

For the orange jelly:

100ml orange juice
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 packet gelatine powder
2 tbsp thin cut marmalade
100g dark chocolate (I love using Lindt Excellence's dark chocolate with orange and almond in)

  • Grease a 12 hole muffin tray and line the bases with circles of baking paper. Heat the oven to 200 degrees.
  • Beat together the eggs and sugar on a medium-fast speed until the mixture doubles in size and reaches ribbon stage, where a ribbon of the cake mixture sits on top for a few moments before sinking back in to the rest of the mix.
  • Add the flour and gently fold until just combined before adding the orange zest.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin tray and bake for 5-6 minutes, until the cakes just start to turn golden and shrink away from the sides. Leave to cool in the tray.
  • To make the jelly, add the orange juice, lemon juice and zest to a small saucepan. Add the sugar, marmalade and whisk in the gelatine and bring to a simmer on a low heat. Remove from the heat immediately and divide between the cakes. Leave to set in the fridge for 10-20 minutes.
  • Use a small knife to run round the edges to release each cake from the muffin tray.
  • Melt the chocolate over a pan of barely simmering water. Leave to cool slightly before spooning over the jaffa cakes gently rounding off the edges as neatly as you can.
  • Leave to set once more, in the fridge if you're short on time before serving.


F O L L O W   M Y   B A K E   O F F   B A K E   A L O N G...

     

Week 1 - Jaffa Cakes
Week 2 - Iced Doughnut Biscuits
Week 3 - Chocolate Twist Babka
Week 4 - Giant Churros
Week 5 - Cherry Bakewell Tart
Week 6 - Brownie Bottomed Coffee Mousse Cake
Week 8 - Cherry, Marzipan and Cherry Cake



15 comments

  1. Tent of dreams! I love it. And your little jaffas look amazing!

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  2. Not gonna lie, was totally hoping you would make these! x

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    Replies
    1. I so very nearly didn't but you've got to love a jaffa!x

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  3. I love jaffa cakes, definitely going to give it a go making my own at some point! x

    NINEGRANDSTUDENT: A Lifestyle Blog

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    1. So much easier than I thought! You should definitely give them a go!x

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  4. They look so sweet and if they taste good, who cares if they're not uniform!! :) Alice xx

    www.woodenwindowsills.co.uk

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    Replies
    1. Exactly...and so that I can eat the untidy ones all to myself ;) x

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  5. I think yours look really, really good! x

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  6. Oh my gosh, these look incredible! I'm so regretting my choice to make lemon drizzle cake (which I don't actually like) rather than jaffa cakes (which I adore!) right now... *grumbles*
    Beth x
    www.thequietpeople.com

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    1. You should definitely try! They're surprisingly easy :) x

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  7. What sweet little cakes! Love the flavour combination in jaffa cakes.

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  8. They look amazing! I've never had jaffa cakes. I should try!

    http://whenhealthymettasty.com

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    Replies
    1. Definitely Caroline! Much easier than they look!

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