Jaffa Cake Cheesecake

Spoil your guests with this Jaffa cake cheesecake. The combination of rich dark chocolate and smooth whipped cream pairs like a dream with orange-flavoured Jaffa cakes. It's a perfect no-bake dessert. 

🍰 What is This Cheesecake Like?

Take rich dark chocolate and fluffy whipped cream and combine it with orange-flavoured Jaffa cakes to get this fantastic no-bake cheesecake.

I call this dessert a cheesecake, even though it might not be entirely correct. The recipe doesn't contain any cream cheese, curd cheese, cottage cheese, or ricotta. My main ingredient is actually double cream, and I'm not using any gelatine.

Neither do I make a cake base from crushed biscuits, instead, I use whole Jaffa cakes to create layers in between my fillings.

The dessert should be possibly called something like 'layered no-bake Jaffa cake cake with whipped cream', but I rather stick to my Jaffa cake cheesecake for simplicity.

There are two different whipped fillings and three layers of Jaffa cakes in this cake. The whipped chocolate at the bottom is heavy and rich. In contrast, the middle layer, made from double cream and creme fraiche, is lighter and more refreshing. Both fillings pair exceptionally well with the orange flavoured Jaffa cakes, sweet juicy mandarins and velvety ganache topping.

We especially like how the thin Jaffa cake chocolate coating adds an extra crunch to the variety of soft and creamy textures.

If you like no-bake desserts don't miss out on my apple custard pudding recipe. It's another of our family's favourites.

❤️ Why I Like This Jaffa Cake Cheesecake

• no-bake
• holds its shape without gelatine
• only five essential ingredients
• has a delightful combination of flavours and textures

📃 Jaffa Cake Cheesecake Ingredient Overview

My Jaffa cake cheesecake contains only five essential ingredients

• Jaffa cakes
• chocolate 
• double cream 
• full-fat creme fraiche
• caster sugar

and three optional ingredients

• tinned mandarins (adds more juicy fruit flavour, and the orange colour brightens up the cake)
• xanthan gum (helps to stabilise the whipped cream)
• vanilla extract (adds vanilla flavour)

You don't need the optional ingredients to make the recipe, but the cheesecake will be even better if you use them.

Jaffa Cakes

We love the original orange Jaffa cakes, but there are other exciting flavours to try like passion fruit, blackcurrant or cherry.

Note: Only the original orange Jaffa cakes are sold in multipacks of 20 or 30 biscuits in the UK. For the 20cm tin, you will need 32 pcs of Jaffa cakes.

Dark Chocolate

Always use good quality chocolate (chocolate blocks are often of better quality than chocolate chips).

I prefer chocolate with 54% cocoa solids. It's not too sweet like milk chocolate, and it's less bitter than extra dark chocolate. Still, you can choose either darker (72% cocoa solids) or milk chocolate (around 34% cocoa solids), whatever you fancy.

Double Cream

Double cream is why this cheesecake doesn't need gelatine. It's crucial not to replace it!

The higher the fat content (double cream has around 48% fat compared to 38% in whipping cream in the UK), the stiffer the cream gets and the better it holds its shape.

Creme Fraiche

Use either creme fraiche or sour cream - both add refreshing sour tones to otherwise heavy double cream.

Xanthan Gum

Even a tiny amount of xanthan gum provides structural support to the whipped cream without changing its texture or taste.

Stabilised cream keeps longer in the fridge and doesn't lose its shape or texture, but don't worry if you don't have xanthan gum; you can still make this cheesecake without it.

⏳ Time Overview and Recipe Difficulty

Hands-on time breakdown:

• 20 minutes - ingredient preparation (weight, chop, line the tin, drain the fruit)
• 30 minutes - making fillings
• 40 minutes - making ganache, assembling the cake, final decorations
• overnight chilling

It takes around 90 minutes to prepare the fillings and assemble the individual layers. Plus, the cake needs to chill overnight to allow the ingredients to set. 

I created this recipe to make it as easy to follow as possible by avoiding difficult to find ingredients or tricky steps. It's my cheat cheesecake as I'm always up for a shortcut if it tastes this good.

The only challenge can be the number of individual steps that need to be followed correctly, but no gelatine is required, and the cake is no-bake.

📐 Equipment and Other Useful Measurements

Cake Tin

It's best to use a round cake tin with a loose bottom or a springform cake tin. It makes it easy to remove the chilled cake from the container, making it visually more presentable and allowing you to cut neat portions.

To make the same marvellous cheesecake as in the pictures, use a tin with a diameter of 20cm/8 inches and the sides 8cm/3.14 inches tall like are these two:

I recommend approximately a 16x16cm square tin or 22.5x11.5cm rectangular dish with at least 6.5 cm tall sides. These are two perfect alternatives:

Whatever tin or container you choose, make sure it can accommodate a volume of at least 1608 litres. You might need to adjust the number of Jaffa cakes.

Other Equipment

• electric whisk
• cooking pot (for heating the double cream)
• mixing bowl
• knife and chopping board 
• spatulas and fork (decorating)

📷 How to Make Jaffa Cake Cheesecake in Pictures

Melt the Chocolate and Line the Tin

As a first step, heat 200 millilitres of double cream until almost boiling. Remove it from the heat and add 80 grams of finely chopped chocolate. Wait for 15 - 30 seconds, then stir well with a spatula or hand whisk until the ingredients are thoughtfully combined and the chocolate melted. 

Place the pot with melted chocolate into ice-cold water - no water must touch the chocolate (add some ice cubes into the water if you have any). Set the ice bath with the cooling chocolate aside for at least 20 minutes, stirring now and then. 

In the meantime, line the cake tin with baking/parchment paper. I recommend cutting a circle for the bottom and a long strip for the sides. 

Make the Creme Fraiche Filling 

Put creme fraiche, vanilla, sugar and xanthan gum into a bowl; beat the ingredients with an electric hand whisk until combined and smooth.

Pour the 300 ml of double cream into the mix and continue whisking until the ingredients thicken. Set aside.

Make Chocolate Filling

Whip the chilled chocolate (the chocolate should be 18C or colder) with an electric hand whisk until the mix can hold soft peaks (the tip flops) - no longer!

Assemble the Layers

Cover the bottom of the lined tin with Jaffa cakes. You might need to cut a few biscuits in half or quarters to be able to fill smaller gaps.

Spread the whipped chocolate evenly over the first layer of Jaffa cakes. Arrange more Jaffa cakes on the top.

Optional: To decorate the sides of the cake, you can now cut five Jaffa cakes in half and place the halves along the perimeter of the tin (chocolate facing out). 

Use ½ of the whipped creme fraiche filling and spread it over the second layer of the Jaffa cakes followed by drained tinned mandarins (the mandarins are optional). 

Spread the remaining half of the whipped creme fraiche over the mandarins and level the surface. 

Cover the creme fraiche filling with the last layer of Jaffa cakes. 

Make Ganache

Heat 100 millilitres of double cream until almost boiling and remove it from the hob. Tip in 80 grams of finely chopped chocolate, wait a few seconds and give it a good stir until the ingredients are well combined. 

Quickly pour the hot ganache over the last layer of Jaffa cakes and use a spatula to spread it all the way to the sides. 

Optional: To make a criss-cross pattern in the ganache, make horizontal than vertical lines with a fork into the chocolate before it sets. 

Chill Over-night

Let the cake set in the fridge for 8 - 24 hr.

Remove the cake from the tin and cut individual portions, right before serving.

⚡ What Can Go Wrong?

Over-whisking the Cream

It's very easy to over-whisk double cream. Unfortunately, when it happens, it is irreversible. The cream becomes lumpy and gritty.

Start beating the cream with an electric whisk on the fast setting but as soon as the mixture becomes more viscous (cream will make visible ripples on the surface), turn the speed down, to reduce the risk.

Continue whisking on a lower speed (most electric whisks have a few speed options) and pay attention to the cream consistency. Don't worry about stopping a few times to check on the texture. Stop whisking once the cream can hold between soft to firm peaks (the tip is still a little bit floppy - not stiff and rigid). The change can happen quickly, so be vigilant.

Some of the Chocolate Doesn't Melt

If you don't chop the chocolate small enough or the cream isn't steaming hot, large pieces of chocolate might not melt. In that case, it's necessary to heat the chocolate and cream again.

The best way is to put the cream with chocolate into a glass or metal bowl over gently simmering water (create a double boiler), stirring continuously until the chocolate melts. The simmering water should not be in contact with the bowl.

🍎 Nutritional value in my Jaffa Cake Cheesecake

There is 482 kcal in each piece of this cheesecake (12 pieces in total).

🍽️ How to Serve This Cheesecake

Individual portions need to be served on a plate with a spoon as the cake doesn't have a sturdy base and it's impossible to hold the delicate slices in hand.

Remove the chilled cake from a tin, and cut individual portions while it's still cold (easier to cut). You can serve the cake right away or wait 5 - 10 minutes letting the cream soften a bit at room temperature.

How to Store This No-bake Cheesecake

This cheesecake needs to be stored in the fridge (contains double cream and creme fraiche). Eat the cake within three to four days.

Any leftovers must be put back in the fridge, preferably in an airtight container.

Recipe Card

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5 from 1 vote

Jaffa Cake Cheesecake

Spoil your guests with this utterly delightful no-bake Jaffa cake cheesecake. The combination of rich dark chocolate and smooth whipped cream pairs like a dream with orange-flavoured Jaffa cakes.

Prep Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Chill/Set12 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Keyword: cheescake, double cream, Jaffa cakes, no bake, without cream cheese, without gelatin

Servings: 12

Calories: 482kcal

Author: Lea

Ingredients

For the biscuit layers

• 32 pcs Jaffa cakes for 20cm/8 inches round cake tin

For the chocolate filling

• 200 ml double cream (48% fat content)
• 80 g finely chopped block of chocolate with 54% cocoa solids alternative - milk 36% or extra dark 72%)

For the creme fraiche filling

• 130 g creme fraiche
• 50 g (4 tbsp) caster sugar
• ¼ tsp xanthan gum optional
• 1 tsp vanilla optional
• 300 ml double cream
• 1 tin of mandarins (300g) optional

For the ganache

• 100 ml double cream
• 90 g block of chocolate with 54% cocoa solids finely chopped

Equipment

• 20 cm/8 inch round cake tin with a loose bottom or a springform cake tin
• electric hand whisk
• baking/parchment paper
• Cooking pot
• mixing bowl

Instructions 

Melt the Chocolate and Line the Tin

• As a first step, heat 200 millilitres of double cream until almost boiling. Remove it from the heat and add 80 grams of finely chopped chocolate. Wait for 15 - 30 seconds, then stir well with a spatula or hand whisk until the ingredients are thoughtfully combined and the chocolate melted.
• Place the pot with melted chocolate into ice-cold water - no water must touch the chocolate (add some ice cubes into the water if you have any).

  Set the ice bath with the cooling chocolate aside for at least 20 minutes, stirring now and then.
• In the meantime, line the cake tin with baking/parchment paper. I recommend cutting a circle for the bottom and a long strip for the sides.

Make the Creme Fraiche Filling

• Put creme fraiche, vanilla, sugar and xanthan gum into a bowl; beat the ingredients with an electric hand whisk until combined and smooth.
• Pour the 300 ml of double cream into the mix and continue whisking until the cream thickens. Set aside.

  Note: Stop whisking once the cream can hold between soft to firm peaks (the tip is still a little bit floppy - not stiff and rigid).

Make Chocolate Filling

• Whip the chilled chocolate (18C or colder) with an electric hand whisk until the mix can hold soft peaks (the tip flops) - no longer!

  Note: This chocolate filling is riskier to over-whisk than the whipped creme fraiche with cream. I recommend stopping as soon as the mix can hold soft peaks; there is no way back if it turns gritty.

Assemble the Layers

• Cover the bottom of the lined tin with Jaffa cakes. You might need to cut a few biscuits in half or quarters to be able to fill smaller gaps.
• Spread the whipped chocolate evenly over the first layer of Jaffa cakes. Arrange more Jaffa cakes on the top.
• Optional: To decorate the sides of the cake, you can now cut five Jaffa cakes in half and place the halves along the perimeter of the tin.
• Use ½ of the whipped creme fraiche filling and spread it over the second layer of the Jaffa cakes followed by drained and dried tinned mandarins (the mandarins are optional).
• Spread the remaining half of the whipped creme fraiche over the mandarins and level the surface.
• Cover the creme fraiche filling with a layer of Jaffa cakes.

Make Ganache

• Heat 100 millilitres of double cream until almost boiling and remove it from the hob. Tip in 80 grams of finely chopped chocolate, wait a few seconds and give it a good stir until the ingredients are well combined.
• Quickly pour the hot ganache over the last layer of Jaffa cakes and use a spatula to spread it all the way to the sides.
• Optional: To make a criss-cross pattern in the ganache, make horizontal than vertical lines with a fork in the still soft chocolate before it sets.

Chill over-night

• Let the cake set in the fridge for 8 - 24 hr. Remove the cake from the tin and cut individual portions, right before serving.

Notes

Read the above blog post for more tips and recommendations. 

Nutrition

Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 1172IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg