Tim Tam Cake

This was a special bake for my cousin Tam.  It was her birthday recently, so I decided to make her a cake using one of Australia's favourite biscuit, the Tim Tam.

I got the idea after her sister sent her a picture of a cake called the Tam Tam cake which I thought might have been a typo and should have said the Tim Tam cake.

Tim Tam is a biscuit consisting of two malt biscuits with a chocolate cream filling and finally coated in a layer of chocolate.  It's made by Arnott's, an Australian biscuit company.  Tim Tam are super delicious.

This Tim Tam cake is made of four layers of super moist chocolate cake.  The layers are covered with crushed Tim Tam biscuits and chocolate ganache frosting.  It is finally decorated with a smooth chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and decorated with sprinkles and crushed Tim Tam biscuits.

Happy Baking xo

Tim Tam Cake

Ingredients

· 1½ cups plain flour
· 1 cup caster sugar
· ¼ cup cocoa powder
· ¾ teaspoon baking powder
· 1½ teaspoons baking soda
· ½ teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 2 eggs
· ¼ cup sour cream
· ½ cup buttermilk
· ¾ cup strong coffee
· ¼ cup vegetable oil

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

· 2 egg whites
· 150 grams caster sugar
· 200 grams unsalted butter (room temperature)
· ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
· 1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

· 170 grams dark chocolate
· ½ cup cream

Filling / Decorations

· Arnott’s Tim Tam
· Sprinkles (dollarsweets)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. Spray four round 4-inch tins with oil and dust some flour around the tins.

3. Place all dry ingredients into a large bowl and using an electric mixer, whisk until all ingredients are well combined.

4. Add all wet ingredients, making sure the coffee has cooled down. Mix until combined and turn beater onto medium and continue mixing for a few minutes.

5. Spoon the mixture into the tins evenly. Make sure to only fill them up a third full and smooth the tops with the back of a spoon or off-set spatula.

6. Bake in oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cakes come out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pans for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Place egg whites and caster sugar into a large bowl. Place over a pot of simmering water on low. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved completely. To check if the sugar has dissolved, rub a bit of the mixture between your fingers.

Remove from heat and using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed for about 10-15 minutes or until the mixture has completely cooled.

Remove the whisk attachment and replace with the paddle attachment. Slowly add portions of the room temperature butter and beat well before adding next portions.

Once all the butter has been added, beat on high for several minutes and then reduce to low speed and continue to beat for another few minutes to remove air bubbles.

Add in cocoa powder and mix until combined.

Frosting is ready for use.

Chocolate ganache frosting

Place chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals until cream is hot. Mix in between each interval until chocolate and cream are fully combined.

Cover with cling wrap; make sure that the cling wrap touches the chocolate ganache so no skin forms. Allow it to cool down completely for a few hours or overnight.

Using an electric mixer beat up the ganache until it’s nice and fluffy.

Assembling the cake

* Please note – only two cakes were used to make this cake.

Cut off the tops of the two cakes if needed to make them even and then cut each cake in half. This gives you four layers.

Place one cake layer onto the cake board, securing it with a bit of buttercream at the bottom.

Pipe or spread some chocolate ganache frosting on top of the cake and add some crushed Tim Tam and stack the next cake and do the same to the remaining cake layers.

Lightly crumb coat the whole cake and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

Create the final coat on the cake and place cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Remove cake from the fridge and pipe swirls using a 2D tip around the top of the cake and place half a Tim Tam in between the swirls. Place crushed Tim Tam in the centre of the cake and along the bottom of the cake. Add sprinkles of desired.

Tips

· Batter makes 4 x 4-inch round cakes.
· Or you can bake 3 x 6-inch cakes.
· Chocolate ganache filling is best made the day before.
· You can also line the bottoms of the tins with some baking paper.
· Remember to rotate the tins halfway through for a more even bake.
· Allow cakes to cool completely before icing and decorating.

Did you bake this recipe?

Remember to tag @youcanbakeittoo on Instagram & hashtag #youcanbakeittoo 

so I can see your wonderful bakes.