A woman has shared her recipe for making a giant Jaffa Cake at home as shoppers struggle to find the treat on supermarket shelves during the coronavirus crisis.
Amateur chef Vanessa Cassidy took to UK Facebook group Rate My Plate to reveal how she created an extra-large version of the popular McVities treat using just a handful of store cupboard essentials.
The post was widely praised by other social media users, who said they wanted to try it at home.
A woman has shared her recipe for making a giant Jaffa Cake at home as supermarket shelves have been stripped bare amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Pictured, the finished product
Vanessa explained all that you need is 100g each of butter, sugar, and flour, two eggs, 1tsp baking powder, a packet of orange jelly and one bar of dark chocolate.
The savvy cook uploaded her method alongside photos illustrating each step of the process.
She started by baking the base using the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and eggs. She used a circular baking tin in order to give the cake its shape.
Next, Vanessa made the orange jelly and allowed it to set.
Vanessa then poured the set jelly on top of the squidgy base.
Another user suggested mixing orange marmalade into the jelly in order to enhance the flavour.
Vanesa started by baking the base using the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and eggs (left). She used a circular baking tin in order to give the cake its shape. Right, the orange jelly
Vanessa then poured the jelly on top of the squidgy base and left it to set (pictured). Another user suggested mixing orange marmalade into the jelly in order to enhance the flavour
Next Vanessa melted the dark chocolate and poured it evenly over the jelly to create the top layer.
She added: ”Ta-da! A giant Jaffa cake!’
Fellow home bakers were delighted with the hack.
‘Oh top idea,’ wrote one. Another posted: ‘Made this before and the hubby loved it.’
A third joked: ‘I would risk social distancing to mug you for that’ another joked.’
Fellow home bakers thanked Vanessa for sharing the recipe, with hundreds saying they wanted to try the same thing.
Mary Berry’s Jaffa Cakes Ingredients
For the jelly
- 1 x 135g packet orange jelly
- 150ml/5fl oz boiling water
- 1 small orange, finely grated zest only
For the sponge
- unsalted butter, for greasing
- 1 large free-range egg
- 25g/1oz caster sugar
- 25g/1oz self-raising flour, sifted
For the topping
- 180g/6¼oz plain chocolate (about 36% cocoa solids)
Method
- For the jelly, break the jelly into pieces and place them in a small bowl. Pour over the boiling water and stir until the jelly is completely dissolved. Add the orange zest, then pour it into a shallow 30x20cm/12x8in tray. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour, or until set.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and grease a 12-hole, shallow bun tin with butter.
- For the sponge, whisk the egg and sugar together for 4-5 minutes until pale and fluffy, then gently fold in the flour. Fill each well in the bun tin three-quarters full (about a dessertspoonful per hole) and smooth the tops. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until well risen and the top of the sponges spring back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool in the tray for a few minutes then finish cooling on a wire rack.
- To assemble, break the chocolate into pieces then melt in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Remove the bowl from the heat and leave to cool and thicken slightly.
- Turn the jelly out onto a sheet of non-stick baking parchment. Cut 12 discs from the orange jelly using a 5cm/2in round cutter. Sit one jelly disc on top of each sponge.
- Spoon the melted chocolate over the jelly discs. Using the tips of the tines of a fork or a skewer, lightly press to create a criss-cross pattern on top of the chocolate, then leave to set completely. You may need to reheat the chocolate a little if it starts to set before you have finished all the jaffa cakes.
