Every time I’m wanting by means of a brand new cookbook, what by no means fails to make me bookmark a recipe is once I come throughout one thing that has caramelized nuts on it, or in it. Whether or not it’s Honey-Almond Squares or Swedish Almond Cake, you may be positive you’ll discover me in my kitchen inside the subsequent 24 hours, and baking it. This Caramelized Peanut Cake that takes little or no effort to make, however yields massive rewards. Huge, crunchy, peanutty ones, with a bonus of moist, buttery cake beneath, holding all of it collectively.
The benefit of this cake (other than it being coated with a beneficiant pile of caramelized salted peanuts, as if it may well get any higher than that) is that you simply seemingly have a lot of the components already readily available. That was my case, so I used to be in a position to make it straight away. The one ‘method’ you have to grasp is boiling butter, honey, cream and sugar, then stirring within the roasted peanuts. The topping couldn’t be simpler.
This recipe is customized from The Joys of Baking, an unabashedly candy ode to baking by Samantha Seneviratne that riffs off tales and conditions in her life, ones that impressed the recipes. Gingered Cashew Nut Brittle showered with sesame seeds, a Roasted Plum Cloud Cake topped with swirls of snowy meringue, bittersweet Amaro Stracciatella Ice Cream, and Salted Chocolate-Coated Chocolate Caramels are the sorts of issues that I’d agree are a pleasure to bake, and to eat.
So how may I resist cake topped with SALTED CARAMELIZED PEANUTS? Sorry for shouting, however this cake is one thing to shout about. I imply, simply have a look at it…
The one issue you would possibly encounter is getting the cake neatly out of the pan. Mine bought a bit darkish across the edges (why, oh why, wasn’t I born a meals stylist, to make mine as neat because the one within the photograph within the ebook?) I discovered that letting the cake relaxation for about 5 to 10 minutes after it comes out to the oven, then utilizing a pointy paring or utility knife that’s both sprayed with a little bit of non-stick spray, or flippantly greased, to separate the perimeters from the cake pan whereas it’s nonetheless heat, is your finest wager for simple (or simpler) removing of the ring of the springform pan. Any items that fall off may be reaffixed to the cake.
Or allow them to cool…and eat them your self.
Which is what I did with the lacking chunk within the photograph, above. (Why, oh why, wasn’t I born with photograph modifying abilities?) However honesty is the very best coverage, and I hope you’ll belief me once I say this cake is pretty much as good because it seems. And if just a few items go lacking, right here and there, effectively – you solely have your self in charge. However in contrast to me, you don’t have to inform anybody about it.
Caramelized Peanut Espresso Cake
One tip: You probably have low-fat milk readily available, you need not exit and purchase entire milk simply to make this cake. Because the topping solely requires 1/4 cup (60ml) of cream, you may seemingly have some leftover cream when you’ve gone out and purchased a carton or bottle. So you may combine a few of that cream in 50:50 proportions with low-fat milk to approximate entire milk.
One other tip from a reader, who used a silicone cake mould (which I do not personal) and stated the cake slipped out of the mould simply and the perimeters did not get too darkish.
Servings 8 servings
For the peanut topping
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces, 85g) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/3 cup (65g) sugar
- 3 tablespoons (60g) honey
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups (7 ounces, 195g) roasted, salted peanuts
For the cake
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces, 85g) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
- 2 cups (280g) flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder, ideally aluminum-free
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1 massive egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (180ml) entire milk, at room temperature
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Butter the perimeters and backside of a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan very effectively. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
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To make the peanut topping, heat the unsalted butter, sugar, honey, and heavy cream in a small saucepan, stirring sometimes till the butter is melted. Carry the combination to a boil and let it prepare dinner at a low, however regular boil, for 3 minutes. Take away from warmth and stir within the peanuts. Put aside, stirring each from time to time to chill it down, when you make the cake batter.
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In a small bowl, sift or whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, and salt.
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Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a big bowl mixing by hand with a spatula or wood spoon, beat the butter and sugar till mild and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scale back the velocity to low and add the egg and vanilla extract, stirring to mix. (Chances are you’ll need to cease the mixer throughout the step, and scrape down the perimeters if utilizing a stand mixer, to ensure all of the components are effectively included.)
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Stir half of the flour combination into creamed butter (with the stand mixer set on low velocity), then add the milk, then combine in the remainder of the dry components.
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Scrape the batter into the ready pan and easy the highest. Spoon the peanut combination excessive of the cake. It’s going to have thickened up however do your finest to ensure it is comparatively even, and keep away from pushing it proper as much as the perimeters of the pan, because it’ll keep on with the pan and make it a bit tough to launch later.
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Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, till a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clear. Don’t contact the highest of the cake to examine for doneness because the caramel is sizzling and sticky, and it may well burn. (Belief me…) Let the cake stand 5 to 10 minutes, then flippantly grease a paring or utility knife and run it across the outdoors of the cake to launch it from the perimeters of the pan. Then take away the surface ring of the springform pan. If any bits of caramelized peanuts stick or come off when eradicating the surface ring, both reunite them with the cake, or allow them to cool and eat them your self.
Storage: The cake is finest the day it is made however may be stored at room temperature for as much as three days both well-wrapped or beneath a cake dome.
