Behold, Jan-Hendrik’s peppermint crisp cake

Yes, you read that right. The award-winning South African chef, Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen brings you his recipe for a peppermint crisp cake with chocolate milk shards. (We’ll let that sink in.)

SHOP THE RECIPE

For the chocolate cake base:

For the chocolate cake base 

  • 2 eggs 
  • 250 ml buttermilk 
  • 250 ml sunflower oil 
  • 5 ml vanilla essence 
  • 250 ml strong black coffee, room temperature 
  • 80 g (200 ml) cacao powder 
  • 400 g (500 ml) sugar 
  • 10 ml baking powder 
  • 5 ml salt 
  • 280 g (500 ml) cake flour 

For the filling 

  • 10 ml gelatin powder 
  • 30 ml cold water 
  • Tins caramel, 2 x 360 g
  • 500 g cream cheese 
  • 250 ml cream 
  • Slabs Peppermint Crisp chocolate, 4 x 80 g

For the topping 

  • 500 ml cream 
  • Cacao powder 

For the chocolate milk skins/shards:

  • 100 ml chocolate milk

Method:

For the chocolate cake base 

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line the base of a 22 x 33 x 5cm cake tin with baking paper. Spray the tin with edible food spray.  
  2. Place all the cake ingredients, except the flour in the mixing bowl of your electric mixer. Whisk all the ingredients together. Sift the flour in, and mix on a slow speed until incorporated.
  3. Pour the cake batter into a prepared tin. Place it in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Test with a cake tester to make sure the cake is baked. Then, take it out of the oven and let it cool in the cake tin. Carefully turn out the cake and remove the baking paper. 
  4. Using the same cake tin, line the bottom and sides with baking paper. The paper on the sides of the tin must be higher than the tin. Put the cake back in the tin. 

For the filling:

  1. Soak the gelatin in the water until it feels sponge-like.  
  2. Place the caramel and cream cheese in the mixing bowl of your electric mixer and whisk until well-mixed. Add the cream gradually and beat until mixed.  
  3. Chop the chocolate  very finely in your food processor, or grate it if you like. Dissolve the gelatin in your microwave, or place the bowl over very hot boiled water in a larger bowl until melted. 
  4. Add the chopped chocolate and melted gelatin to the filling and whisk until well-mixed. Pour the mixture into a tin and smooth the top. Leave it in the fridge overnight to set. 

For the topping:

  1. Beat the cream until stiff peaks form and spoon over the cake. Dust with cocoa.

For the milk shards

  1. Spray a baking tray with non-stick spray, and pour a thin layer of the chocolate milk into the baking tray. Put the baking tray in a low oven, no more than 100°C to allow it to evaporate. It dries out fairly quickly, and you can mould it however you like.

To serve

  1. Arrange the milk shards on top of the cake and dust with cacao powder. Keep in the fridge.SHOP READY-MADE CAKES  

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