I was working on getting my SEO strategy on point when my brain started to wander. I got distracted by promotional messages reminding me that Valentine's Day is near. That's when the 'I want dessert' craving kicked in simultaneously. This time I could have visited the bakery near me, but was too lazy to order in or go out. Worse, I felt like eating a cake and cookies too. So I quickly baked two recipes in one, threw in the festive Valentine's 'red' in the form of mixed dried cranberries and strawberries from Nutty Gritties. They also contain dried blueberries and currants. I had my stash of almonds. Threw those in. I baked my cake and cookie lol. Now I don't have any complaints whatsoever. Let me introduce you to my Valentine Cookie Cake. Voila!
Tips before you begin:
- Make sure the eggs are creamed well with the butter and sugar.
- Grease a 25 x 13 x 6cm loaf tin and line it with parchment paper right at the start.
- When you make the cake batter, pour it in the baking tin.
- Then you may add your middle layer toppings. I added mixed berries. You could add Nutella, or dried fruit or dulce de leche, or digestives ~ the possibilities are endless.
- Put this in the freezer for 10 minutes and then put the cookie layer with toppings and straight into the oven.
Let's get started with the ingredients:
For the Cake Layer Batter:
100 grams caster sugar
55 grams melted butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
55 grams plain flour
20 grams cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
Dried fruit and Nut Toppings
- In a bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla and whisk well with a hand mixer
- Sift in flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder
- Mix till fully combined
- Pour this batter into a 25 x 13 x 6 cm loaf tin
- Freeze it for 10 minutes
- Remove from freezer and add your desired toppings (refer to the Tips above)
- Put back into the freezer for 5 minutes
For the Cookie Layer Batter:
70 grams brown sugar
60 grams softened unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
80 grams self-raising flour
A pinch of salt
Dried fruit and Nut Toppings
- In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
- Now add the eggs and vanilla and mix
- Sift in flour and salt and combine properly
- Remove the cake tin from the freezer and spread this cookie dough batter onto the cake batter
- Sprinkle with dried fruit and nut toppings
- Pre-heat the oven at 180° C for about 10 minutes.
- Put the baking tin in and bake for about 50 minutes.
- Begin checking after 40 minutes by inserting a skewer in the centre and sides.
- Once the aroma wafts through and when you insert the skewer dry crumbs come through, it's done.
- Ensure that the cookie layer is baked properly and you should not have any uncooked cookie dough.
- Remove once done and cool on a rack
If you follow these steps, you won't find it tedious to make. Happy Baking! And oh yes, Happy Valentine's people :)