Irish Cream Cheesecake Chocolate Cake | gluten free

This is no time for moderation. This Irish Cream Cheesecake swirled with decadent chocolate cake needs you to roll up your sleeves and get ready for decadence.
It’s nearly St. Patrick’s Day friends! My favourite day of the year because it falls exactly a week before my birthday, you get to wear as much green as possible, and Chris (who looks a little like a giant leprechaun) does a very funny (and not extremely accurate, sorry Irish friends) Irish accent. When I was at university the whole city would come to life for St. Paddy’s Day and there would be Irish music blasting from pubs, crowds dressed all in shades of emerald, and a general air of joviality. And now, there’s cake.Specifically the most over the top cheesecake meets chocolate cake I have ever made. Confession: I ate a slice of this (the slice pictured above with the cream and chocolate flakes) for lunch on Sunday. I feel no shame. Second confession: this is only the second baked cheesecake I have ever made in my life. I usually leave them up to my younger (and far more talented sister). So, if I, cheesecake novice, can conjure this creation up, I have all the faith in the world that you can too!This cheesecake-cake hybrid starts with a dense chocolate cake recipe. My favourite chocolate cake recipe. A seriously easy chocolate cake recipe with two stages. Melt and mix. Then we make a creamy smooth cheesecake spiked with Irish cream liqueur (or a few drops of coffee essence if you want this to be alcohol free). Then, the fun begins. A chocolate cake base, then tablespoonfuls of cheesecake batter, more chocolate cake batter, and a final topping of cheesecake. Layer upon layer of deliciousness. When you finally slice into this beastly beauty you will be rewarded with swirls of deep dark chocolate cake and ribbons of creamy white cheesecake. Gah.This spiked cheesecake-cake mash-up spectacular is perfect for your St Patrick’s Day celebrations – and you can make it up to two days ahead! But I really don’t think you need to wait for a day filled with dancing leprechauns, pots of gold, and pints of Guinness to make this dessert. That’s the secret to the luck of the Irish you know: you make it yourself

Irish Cream Cheesecake Chocolate Cake

gluten free | makes one 9-inch round cake, serves about 12

Note: I happen to like the crackly top of baked cheesecakes. Call me weird. If you don’t, and would like a smooth surface, check out Sally’s wonderful article on how to prevent your cheesecake from cracking.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 35 grams buckwheat flour
• 35 grams white rice flour
• 35 grams brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee
• 200 grams dark eating chocolate, chopped
• 200 grams butter, chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

For the cheesecake

• 450 grams full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon Irish Cream liqueur (or 2 teaspoons coffee extract)
• 1 tablespoon white rice flour
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 160C and line a 9-inch round springform pan with baking paper. Wrap the sides with aluminium foil, place on a large baking sheet and set aside until needed.
2. Whisk together buckwheat flour, white rice flour, brown rice flour and baking powder.
3. Place coffee, chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring between intervals until melted and smooth.
4. While warm stir in vanilla extract and cocoa.
5. Add eggs one at a time alternating with the sugar, stirring well between additions.
6. Add flour and use a whisk to gently combine. Set cake batter aside until required.
7. Place cream cheese and sugar into the bowl of a standmixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
8. Add yoghurt, vanilla extract and Irish Cream liqueur and beat until combined.
9. Add rice flour and beat in.
10. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between additions.
11. Now it’s time to assemble the cake.
12. Layer about 1 1/2 cups of chocolate cake batter into the prepared springform pan. Drop in large dollops of cheesecake mixture, leaving some room between them. Then dollop in the remaining cake batter, followed by the rest of the cheesecake mixture.
13. Bake for 60-75 minutes or until the edges are set and the middle still wobbles slightly. If the top starts to brown too early cover it loosely with aluminium foil. Once the cheesecake is cooked turn off the oven and open the door slightly. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for an hour before removing to cool on the bench until it comes to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before slicing and serving.