FRIEND FRIDAY: Renae Kaye talks about toffee poke cake #gayromance @renaekkaye #FriendlyFriday

Today I’m visited by Renae Kaye. Renae is celebrating the release of her latest book, Yes, Professor. I really enjoyed the story and when it came to asking for a guest post topic, I requested Renae share the recipe for Toffee Poke Cake because I was intrigued.

So now I’m off to the kitchen to do some baking and handing it over to Renae… *wink*

A story of opposites and a Toffee Poke Cake

Thanks Nic for hosting me on your blog again.  I’d like to introduce to your readers my new characters – Avery and Christopher.  Avery and Christopher came about because I had a lot of readers during private chats mention that they love an age gap story.  Me?  I love a story of opposites – and the age gap fits that wonderfully.

So I began creating them and Avery burst forth on the page – full of insecurities in his life but sure of one little thing:  He preferred older men.

This book is a long novella that shows how these two got together despite them being very different.  And it all started with a cake.  Avery offers to make Christopher a cake for his birthday, and bring it over that night *nudge nudge wink wink*  Of course it had to be the perfect type of cake and Avery goes through cake recipes until he finds a toffee poke cake.

It must’ve worked – because Avery and Christopher got together in the end.

So just what is a toffee poke cake?  It’s a SUPER easy cake recipe I thought I’d share with you.  Basically it’s a chocolate cake made from a packet mix which, after baking, you poke holes in the top with a chopstick and drizzle caramel sauce into the holes.  Then you ice the top of the cake to hide the holes – and when you slice it, you get gooey caramel throughout the cake.  YUM.

Ingredients: 

 For the cake:

One packet of chocolate cake mix – plus eggs/oil/water as packet directions require

For the caramel sauce:

1 cup of brown sugar

½ cup of water

1 cup of thickened cream (or heavy cream for Americans)

For the icing:

60g of cream cheese (for example, Philadelphia)

30g of butter, softened

¾ cup icing sugar (or powdered sugar for Americans)

A splash of vanilla essence

Method:

 The method is super easy too.

  • Bake cake as per packet directions – usually involving beating all ingredients for 2 minutes and baking for 30 mins. Remove from oven.  Allow to cool slightly.
  • In a saucepan, stir together sugar and water and heat on high until melted and bubbling. Reduce heat and add cream, stirring continuously for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.
  • Place cake on the plate you’ll be using (you don’t want to move it after the caramel has infused through it). Using a chopstick, poke approximately 20 holes over the surface of the cake.  While the caramel is still warm, pour the caramel into the holes.  Any extra caramel should be poured over the top of the cake.  Allow to cool completely before icing.
  • Cream together cream cheese and softened butter with an electric mixer. Slowly add the icing sugar and vanilla.  Beat on high for 2 minutes.  Spread over completely cooled cake.  (You may add a sprinkle of shaved chocolate or similar to the top of icing for a great presentation).  Refrigerate for at least an hour.
  • Served to loved one and hope they ask you for a second date.
  • Yes, Professor

    Twenty-two-year-old Avery Stewart has a crush on his neighbour. Always attracted to older men, Avery is tantalised by Mr Redding’s professorial looks and obvious obsession with perfection.

    When he finally gets the courage to speak to Christopher Redding, Avery manages to get invited back that evening on the pretext of bringing a cake for Christopher’s birthday. But things don’t work out how Avery had planned, and he finds himself sent home with the cake and without any intimacy.

    Christopher is everything Avery has ever desired—older, self-assured, dominant, and intelligent. Avery needs someone in his life to take charge—in and out of the bedroom. He wants Christopher to be that man. However, Avery must first convince Christopher to take a chance on him.

    Yes, Professor is available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.

    BUY LINK

    Amazon

    About Renae Kaye

    Renae Kaye is a lover and hoarder of books who thinks libraries are devilish places because they make you give the books back.  She consumed her first adult romance book at the tender age of thirteen and hasn’t stopped since.  After years – and thousands of stories! – of not having book characters do what she wants, she decided she would write her own novel and found the characters still didn’t do what she wanted.  It hasn’t stopped her though.  She believes that maybe one day the world will create a perfect couple – and it will be the most boring story ever.  So until then she is stuck with quirky, snarky and imperfect characters who just want their story told.

    Renae lives in Perth, Western Australia and writes in five minute snatches between the demands of two kids, a forbearing husband, too many pets, too much housework and her beloved veggie garden.  She is a survivor of being the youngest in a large family and believes that laughter (and a good book) can cure anything.

    How to contact Renae:
    Email:  [email protected]
    Website:  www.renaekaye.weebly.com
    FB:  www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9
    Twitter:  @renaekkaye

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