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Sweet Fusion

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The journey starts with the love of food, childhood nostalgia, curiosity and a willingness to experiment and create. Baker Gatherer brings these all together in a baking blog that inspires and engages your senses with photos and recipes that will encourage you to follow along on your own journey of sweet fusion.

My name’s Dane McGregor, your recipe maker and content creator here at Baker Gatherer. In essence Baker Gatherer is a food blog featuring recipes that I love to make, experiment with and see others enjoy.
I’m based in Hamilton, New Zealand and have degrees in graphic design as well as teaching. I’d like to consider myself a bit of a foodie at heart and enjoy spending a decent amount of time in the kitchen and thinking about what I’m going to eat next.
Others may disagree, but I admit I’m an amateur baker and am constantly learning and trialling new recipes and techniques. When something works for me I want to share these successes here on Baker Gatherer and see if others can give it a go. So let’s take this journey together and see what we can come up with.

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I love cake, but I also love coffee. And this seas I love cake, but I also love coffee. And this season calls for plenty of iced coffees. 

The perfect pairing with an iced coffee is this Chocolate Coffee Cake with a Coffee Mascarpone filling, recipe below. Hands up if you love both cake and iced coffees 🙌🏼.

✏️ Chocolate Coffee Cake

500g @bakelshomebaking Moist Chocolate Cake Baking Mix
½ Cup Water (Room Temp)
4 Eggs (Size 6 or 7)
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons Granulated Coffee

✏️ Coffee Mascarpone

500g Mascarpone
2 Tablespoon Granulated Coffee
3-4 Teaspoons Hot Water
6 Tablespoons Icing Sugar
Dark Chocolate

✏️ Method

1 - Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake and grease the sides and line the bases of 2 x 20cm round springform cake tins with greaseproof paper. Set aside.

2 - Place the cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat on a low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and beat for another couple of minutes until smooth.

3 - Using kitchen scales, evenly measure cake mixture across the 2 prepared baking tins and bake for around 35-40 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before filling.

4 - To make the coffee mascarpone filling, start by dissolving the granulated coffee with the hot water in a small bowl or ramekin, then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, beat together the mascarpone and icing sugar until smooth. Add the cooled coffee mixture and beat once again until incorporated.

5 - To assemble, place the first layer of cake onto a serving dish or cake stand, then evenly cover with a layer of coffee mascarpone. Gently place the second cake layer on top, then cover with another generous layer of coffee mascarpone. To finish, grate chocolate over top and serve alongside a freshly made iced coffee, or at your next BBQ celebration.

Serves: 10+ Slices
So who is Dane, the face behind Baker Gatherer. Le So who is Dane, the face behind Baker Gatherer. Let me tell you, he’s a pretty sweet dude 😆 

Swipe for a couple tidbits…

Now, do you want to know anything else?
The Easter season is nearly upon us, which means H The Easter season is nearly upon us, which means Hot Cross Bun are ready to be enjoyed. With that said, @newworldnz always has a plentiful selection of Easter treats, especially Hot Cross Buns. This year I’m offering a different twist on an Easter tradition, and introduce these Hot Cross Bun Kebabs.

These Hot Cross Bun Kebabs are super easy to make and are served with a sweet Whipped Cream Cheese to dip. You can also use any of your favourite or seasonal fruit to make these kebabs your own. I’ll share the method and recipe below so you can make these delicious kebabs at your place this Easter!

So, don’t forget to grab some Hot Cross Buns from your local New World, and check out their website for plenty more Easter inspired recipes.

💥 Hot Cross Bun Kebabs

✏️ Ingredients

1 Pack of Hot Cross Buns from New World
2 Nectarines
2 Bananas
Grapes (Note: You can use any of your favourite or seasonal fruit)
Lemon Juice

130g Cream Cheese
100ml Fresh Cream
50g Caster Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

✏️ You’ll Need

Wooden Kebab skewers 

✏️ Method

To make the Whipped Cream Cheese:

1. Add the cream cheese and caster sugar into a bowl, and using a hand-held mixer, beat for 2-3 minutes until combined and fluffy.
2. Pour in the cream and vanilla extract and again beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
3. Scoop into a serving bowl, cover and chill in the fridge until serving.

To make the Hot Cross Bun Kebabs:

1. Cut the hot cross buns into cubes, roughly 8 pieces per bun. Place cubes on a baking tray and grill each side until lightly toasted, turning regularly. Once all cubes are toasted, set aside to cool.
2. Dice your favourite or seasonal fruit into cubes, similar sizes to the hot cross bun cubes. Then dip or roll your diced fruit through lemon juice to prevent any browning.
3. To assemble your kebabs, alternate between various diced ingredients, starting with a hot cross bun cube at the base. Repeat until skewer is full. Serve immediately alongside the Whipped Cream Cheese, or chill in the fridge until serving. Enjoy.

Serves 12+
I feel I’m in denial the seasons are slowly star I feel I’m in denial the seasons are slowly starting to change. The long hot summer evenings are starting to slip and the mornings a getting darker and cooler… now where are my slippers?
It’s Peanut Butter & Jam Louise Cake time! A tw It’s Peanut Butter & Jam Louise Cake time!

A twist on a nostalgic classic with a subtle peanut butter flavoured base, raspberry jam filling, fluffy coconut topping and a sprinkle of peanut butter crumb.

A weekend must try 🤤 Recipe found on my website.
I’m just over my Christmas chocolate, and now I’m preparing myself for Easter chocolate…
Merry Christmas to my Gatherers, foodies and frien Merry Christmas to my Gatherers, foodies and friends out there. May your season be filled with everything Christmas should be (for me, that’s food, family and naps!). 

P.s. Did anyone make a gingerbread house this year?
Fridge talk! What do you currently have chilling Fridge talk!

What do you currently have chilling in your fridge, ready for tomorrow’s festive celebrations?
This Christmas, turn up with this Banoffee Trifle! This Christmas, turn up with this Banoffee Trifle!

So, if you think your festive table needs this dessert this year, save and share this recipe right now. 

🍌Banana Cake
280g Self Raising Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
200g Caster Sugar
40g Brown Sugar
250g Butter - Softened
4 Eggs
3 Medium Bananas ( 280-300g)
3 Tablespoon Milk

🍌Caramel
150g Butter
395g Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
300g Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Golden Syrup

🍌Extras
500-750ml Cream
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
8 Bananas
Chocolate

___

✏️Method

1. To start, we’ll first be baking the cake. So, turn the oven onto 180°C bake and grease and line two 20cm round baking tins with baking paper. Set aside.

2. Add all of the cake ingredients into the bowl of a free-standing mixer (or if you’d rather use a hand-held, that’s fine too), except for the banana and milk. Beat on a medium speed until well incorporated. Thoroughly mash the bananas and add, along with the milk, to the cake batter and continue to beat through for another minute or two. Evenly pour the batter between two prepared tins and bake for 25-28 minutes or until both cakes are baked through and a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool.

3. To make the caramel, add the caramel ingredients to a medium saucepan and gently heat until the butter has melted and ingredients are mixed through. Continue to stir constantly until caramel starts to golden and thicken. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

✏️ Assembly instructions in the comments.
1 more sleep until Christmas! 🙀🙀 1 more sleep until Christmas! 🙀🙀
With the sunny festive season upon us, a cool Piñ With the sunny festive season upon us, a cool Piña Colada in one hand and a slice of Piña Colada Cake in the other sounds perfect!

This Piña Colada Cake is really easy to make and the perfect tropical treat this New Years. With two layers of moist coconut and pineapple cake, these are then spiked with a touch of pineapple juice and white rum. On top of each of these layers is a super smooth coconut buttercream which will whip you away somewhere tropical from the first bite.

Recipe link below, or can be found on my website.
www.bakergatherer.com/pina-colada-cake
2 more sleeps until Christmas! 😬 2 more sleeps until Christmas! 😬
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WELCOME TO BAKER GATHERER, THE LONE JOURNEY IN SEARCH OF SWEET FUSION

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I love cake, but I also love coffee. And this seas I love cake, but I also love coffee. And this season calls for plenty of iced coffees. 

The perfect pairing with an iced coffee is this Chocolate Coffee Cake with a Coffee Mascarpone filling, recipe below. Hands up if you love both cake and iced coffees 🙌🏼.

✏️ Chocolate Coffee Cake

500g @bakelshomebaking Moist Chocolate Cake Baking Mix
½ Cup Water (Room Temp)
4 Eggs (Size 6 or 7)
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons Granulated Coffee

✏️ Coffee Mascarpone

500g Mascarpone
2 Tablespoon Granulated Coffee
3-4 Teaspoons Hot Water
6 Tablespoons Icing Sugar
Dark Chocolate

✏️ Method

1 - Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake and grease the sides and line the bases of 2 x 20cm round springform cake tins with greaseproof paper. Set aside.

2 - Place the cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat on a low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and beat for another couple of minutes until smooth.

3 - Using kitchen scales, evenly measure cake mixture across the 2 prepared baking tins and bake for around 35-40 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before filling.

4 - To make the coffee mascarpone filling, start by dissolving the granulated coffee with the hot water in a small bowl or ramekin, then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, beat together the mascarpone and icing sugar until smooth. Add the cooled coffee mixture and beat once again until incorporated.

5 - To assemble, place the first layer of cake onto a serving dish or cake stand, then evenly cover with a layer of coffee mascarpone. Gently place the second cake layer on top, then cover with another generous layer of coffee mascarpone. To finish, grate chocolate over top and serve alongside a freshly made iced coffee, or at your next BBQ celebration.

Serves: 10+ Slices
So who is Dane, the face behind Baker Gatherer. Le So who is Dane, the face behind Baker Gatherer. Let me tell you, he’s a pretty sweet dude 😆 

Swipe for a couple tidbits…

Now, do you want to know anything else?
The Easter season is nearly upon us, which means H The Easter season is nearly upon us, which means Hot Cross Bun are ready to be enjoyed. With that said, @newworldnz always has a plentiful selection of Easter treats, especially Hot Cross Buns. This year I’m offering a different twist on an Easter tradition, and introduce these Hot Cross Bun Kebabs.

These Hot Cross Bun Kebabs are super easy to make and are served with a sweet Whipped Cream Cheese to dip. You can also use any of your favourite or seasonal fruit to make these kebabs your own. I’ll share the method and recipe below so you can make these delicious kebabs at your place this Easter!

So, don’t forget to grab some Hot Cross Buns from your local New World, and check out their website for plenty more Easter inspired recipes.

💥 Hot Cross Bun Kebabs

✏️ Ingredients

1 Pack of Hot Cross Buns from New World
2 Nectarines
2 Bananas
Grapes (Note: You can use any of your favourite or seasonal fruit)
Lemon Juice

130g Cream Cheese
100ml Fresh Cream
50g Caster Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

✏️ You’ll Need

Wooden Kebab skewers 

✏️ Method

To make the Whipped Cream Cheese:

1. Add the cream cheese and caster sugar into a bowl, and using a hand-held mixer, beat for 2-3 minutes until combined and fluffy.
2. Pour in the cream and vanilla extract and again beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
3. Scoop into a serving bowl, cover and chill in the fridge until serving.

To make the Hot Cross Bun Kebabs:

1. Cut the hot cross buns into cubes, roughly 8 pieces per bun. Place cubes on a baking tray and grill each side until lightly toasted, turning regularly. Once all cubes are toasted, set aside to cool.
2. Dice your favourite or seasonal fruit into cubes, similar sizes to the hot cross bun cubes. Then dip or roll your diced fruit through lemon juice to prevent any browning.
3. To assemble your kebabs, alternate between various diced ingredients, starting with a hot cross bun cube at the base. Repeat until skewer is full. Serve immediately alongside the Whipped Cream Cheese, or chill in the fridge until serving. Enjoy.

Serves 12+
I feel I’m in denial the seasons are slowly star I feel I’m in denial the seasons are slowly starting to change. The long hot summer evenings are starting to slip and the mornings a getting darker and cooler… now where are my slippers?
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