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Travel

Travel Greece – Survival Guide

November 5, 2019 By Dane McGregor Leave a Comment

Visiting Greece has always been on my bucket list and although I’d be a tourist myself, there were a few things I wish I knew before I touched down. The 6 tips below are my own personal observations and recommendations and were the first few things I would always share with people when they asked about culture and customs. Because of that, I don’t claim to be a travel expert or know Greek etiquette inside and out, however I hope others traveling to Greece may find any of these tips useful.

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Filed Under: Travel

Travel Greece – Photo Journal

October 9, 2019 By Dane McGregor 1 Comment

With a total of nearly 50 hours in transit, the 20 days we spent in the Greek sun were well worth it. Although my phone is full of holiday snaps, food and cats, I’ve put together an incredibly summarised photo journal of holiday highlights.

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Filed Under: Travel

Behind the Scenes – Pic’s HQ

September 22, 2018 By Dane McGregor 70 Comments

It quickly became evident that Pic’s Peanut Butter has grown to be a very popular household name, sought after in supermarkets and winning hearts across the country. So on a recent trip down south to sunny Nelson, I really wanted to take a visit to Pic’s HQ and learn a little more about this growing peanut butter star. Don’t forget to read right to the bottom to check out an awesome giveaway too.…

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Filed Under: Food, Giveaway, Travel

SKYCITY Dessert Tour

February 10, 2018 By Dane McGregor Leave a Comment

I’ve always had a sweet tooth, so the opportunity to experience 11 different desserts over 4 restaurants in two days, was not something to turn down. Being placed amongst the bustling food precinct that is SKYCITY Auckland, you find yourself quite overwhelmed by the variety, sounds and smells. While staying the night in SKYCITY Grand Hotel, I had stunning views of the city, Auckland Harbour Bridge and of course the iconic Sky Tower. I called this my base as I prepared myself to get a taste of some of the best desserts SKYCITY has to offer.

The Sugar Club

Left: Niuean Honey Parfait. Top Right: Mandarin Sorbet. Bottom Right: Baked Pineapple.

The Sugar Club saw us making our way up to level 53 of the Sky Tower, a restaurant founded by Peter Gordon overlooking the city of Auckland. With its fusion styled cuisine and 1930s Italian Art Deco decor of brass and stone, I could feel I was about to experience something special. …

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Filed Under: Food, Travel

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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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