P
eanut butter and jelly sandwich is an American classic. So, why not incorporate this flavor combination in a cake?
While PB&J combination isn’t that popular in Europe, one survey showed that the average American will eat 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before graduating from high school! But, do you know who and when invented this popular snack? The first peanut butter and jelly sandwich recipe appeared in 1901 in the Boston Cooking School Magazine of Culinary Science and Domestic Economics written by Julia Davis Chandler. It suggested use of currant or crab apple jelly and called the combination delicious and original.
At that time the peanut butter and jelly sandwich was an exclusive food, and its popularity among the masses was yet to come. When grape jam and pre-sliced bread became popular, another breakthrough happened with peanut butter—commercial brands found a way to create creamier peanut butter that didn’t stick to the roof of the mouth so easily.
As you probably know, the unpleasant sticking causes arachibutyrophobia (phobia of peanut butter sticking to your mouth!), so creamier peanut butter was in fact a big deal! Anyway, as the price of peanut butter dropped, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, peanut butter and jelly sandwich became a satisfying, high protein, less expensive meal.
Finally, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are so popular in the US that on April 2nd there is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. Enough said about the sandwich – let’s make PB&J cake!
Btw, if you like buttercream cakes check my Devil’s Food Cake, Almond and Chocolate Mocha Cake or Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake, they are also delicious!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake
by:Tereza Alabanda,The Pastry Maestra
PRINT PDF (EN) ISPIŠI PDF (HR)Prep. time : 50 minutes
Cook time : 25 minutes
Ready in 75 minutes plus cooling
Level : Advanced
INGREDIENTS
Joconde Sponge Cake:
- Almond flour 115g (4oz)
- Powdered sugar 100g (3.5oz)
- All purpose flour 30g (1oz)
- Eggs 125g (4.4oz)
- Butter, melted 25g (0.9oz)
- Egg whites 85g (3oz)
- Sugar 25g (0.9oz)
- Sugar 85g (3oz)
- Water 85 (3oz)
- Rum 10g (2Tsp)
- Strawberry puree 115g (4oz)
- Sugar 55g (2oz)
- Gelatin 3g (1,5 sheets)
- Egg yolks 115g (4oz)
- Sugar 200g (7oz)
- Butter 285g (10oz)
- Peanut butter, smooth 150g (5.3oz)
- Peanuts, roasted and chopped
- Strawberries
- To make Joconde sponge cake place powdered sugar, almond flour and flour into a large bowl and stir well with a whisk. Then add eggs and melted butter and stir until you get smooth paste. Make French meringue from egg whites and sugar. Place egg whites into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form. Then, gradually add sugar and continue mixing until firm peaks form. Add the prepared paste into the French meringue and mix with a silicone spatula until combined.
- Prepare four 16cm (6″) in diameter cake rings and line them with aluminum foil to prevent the cake batter from leaking. Divide the cake batter into four equal parts, about 115g (4oz) each. Pour Joconde batter into the cake rings and smooth the top using a small spatula. Then bake them at 190°C (375°F) for about 10-12 minutes, until golden. Take them out and leave them to cool down completely.
- To make simple syrup place sugar into a bowl, add water and stir well with a whisk. Microwave this until the sugar crystals dissolve, and then leave it to cool down. When the syrup is cooled it’s time to add rum.
- To make strawberry jelly soak gelatin in cold water. As soon as the gelatin softens, take it out and squeeze to get rid of the excess water. Put strawberry puree into a bowl, add sugar and stir with a whisk. Heat up this mixture in the microwave. Add soaked gelatin into the hot puree and stir until it melts. Distribute the jelly mixture into small half sphere silicone mold, and then place everything in the freezer to set.
- To make French buttercream first you need to make pate a bombe which is a mixture of whipped egg yolks and cooked sugar syrup. Place egg yolks into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and start mixing on medium speed. Put sugar and water (enough to cover the sugar) into a saucepan and put the lid on. Once the syrup boils, the steam will wash down sugar crystals from the sides of the pan and you can remove the lid. Insert the probe of a digital candy thermometer into the syrup and continue cooking until it reaches 118°C (244°F). At that point pour it carefully without turning off the mixer into whipped egg yolks. Once all the syrup is inside, continue whisking pâte a bombe until it cools down. When pâte a bombe is cooled, start adding softened butter gradually until everything is incorporated. Then, add peanut butter and stir well with a whisk.
- To assemble the cake place one Joconde layer onto the cake board. Soak it with syrup and then spread some buttercream onto it, using a small spatula. Next, neatly line frozen strawberry jelly half spheres onto it. Spread another blob of buttercream on top of everything, top it with another joconde layer, and soak it with syrup. There, the first layer of your cake is done so put it in the fridge until the buttercream sets.
- When the cake is set, it’s time for the new layer of buttercream. Then comes the third Joconde, so soak it with syrup and place it in the fridge again for about 10 minutes. The procedure continues by covering the third Joconde with some buttercream, and assembling remaining strawberry jelly half spheres on the top. As before, place more buttercream onto half spheres and spread it using a small spatula. Finally, soak the last Joconde with syrup and place the cake in the fridge.
- Using a piping bag filled with buttercream cover the sides of the cake and smooth it with scraper. Then add some buttercream on the top and smooth it using a spatula. This procedure continues until you get regular shape of the cake.
- To decorate the cake make peanut buttercream half spheres by filling half sphere silicone mold with it. Place the mold in the freezer until buttercream sets. Decorate the sides of the cake with chopped roasted peanuts and arrange buttercream half spheres on the top. For final decoration use some fresh strawberries and chopped peanuts.
- There, your delicious peanut buttercream and strawberry jelly cake is done! Enjoy!
Copyright© PastryMaestra.comTM
Well, what do you think about this post?
Please leave your comment on YouTube, thank you!
I read and really appreciate all the comments, even though I do not always have the time to respond to each one. So – keep me in the loop and try to create some sweetness every day because – Sweetness is happiness!!
