Coffee and Crunch

One of the best things about belonging to a group is that it often opens you up to new experiences. Sometimes the experiences provide a groundwork for later experiences, like the Daring Baker Gateau St. Honore. After that I knew how to do puff pastry, cream puffs, spun sugar and pastry cream, both regular and Chibost. Other times it's just for fun. The best ones are when you try something a little bit new and also make something that you know will become a favorite.

This month the Cake Slice Bakers chose to make a delicious moist cake with deep coffee flavor and a streusel for the top that used chopped up Heath Bars...a crisp toffee candy coated in milk chocolate. If you looked at this crunchy topping you would never think candy bar, would you?

Always the iconoclast, I jazzed mine up, since we already had the chocolate and candy thing going, with a scattering of chocolate chips right under the top bit of batter before you put on the topping. As expected, they dropped down to near the bottom of the cake.

This is the best coffee-chocolate cake ever!

Sweetie really liked this cake and he's not really a cake person. He said that not only did he enjoy the coffee flavor and really enjoy the crunchy topping, but that he liked how well it kept, even not refrigerated. He does enjoy New York style crumb cake for breakfast sometimes at our favorite cafe. That's probably why he sees this as a breakfast treat. I enjoyed a slice with tea in the afternoon at work...I know it's a coffee cake, but I had tea on hand and no coffee...and it was just as nice for a snack as for breakfast.

Coffee Heath Bar Crunch CakeMakes one 9-inch round Cake
(recipe from Cake Keepers Cakes by Lauren Chattman)

For the Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk

For the Streusel

1 cup - 4 Heath bars (1.4 oz. each) chopped
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp butter, softened

Optional - 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method - Streusel
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a round 9-inch springform pan.

Combine the chopped Heath bars, brown sugar, flour and butter in a medium mixing bowl. Work the mixture with your fingers until it resembles large crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Method - Cake
Combine the flour, espresso powder, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl. (Note: I left the espresso powder out of the dry ingredients and dissolved it in the milk because mine had so many lumps).

Combine the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. With the mixer on low speed, add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture and half the milk, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Repeat, alternating the flour and milk, ending with the flour.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer with the spatula. Scatter the chilled streusel onto the batter, distributing it evenly over the cake. (Note: I added 3/4 of the batter to the pan and spread it out, then scattered the chocolate chips over the batter as evenly as possible, then added the rest of the batter and spread it over the chips, then added the streusel as the recipe called for.)

Bake the cake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. (Note; You may find that less baking time is needed...start checking at 45 minutes.) Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Release the sides of the pan and use a large spatula to slide the cake form the pan bottom onto a wire rack. Cool. (Note: I left the cake on the pan bottom until it was completely cool and that worked fine, too. Actually I served it from the cake pan bottom so I'm not sure about moving the cooled cake to a rack.)

I loved this cake from my first slice (and it was really difficult convincing myself to leave it at one slice). It is moist (I took it out of the oven once the sides started to pull away from the pan...about 50 minutes), has just the right amount of coffee flavor for me and the struesel is yummy! If you like coffee I think you will love this cake. XO Elle

Now check out the other Cake Slice Bakers' renditions of this yummy cake. The blogroll is HERE.

Cranberry Cake Slice Delight

Want a pretty cake for Christmas that is absolutely wonderful? Look no further. The Cake Slice bakers have chosen the Cranberry Cake for December’s cake. It was so good that I’ll be making it again for Christmas dinner at Sweetie’s request. The top has crispy streusel with almonds and brown sugar. The interior is soft and not too sweet, especially because the fresh cranberries give a nice tart tang to almost every bite.

Due to advancing age or something like that, I forgot on the day I made the cake that I had taken a cup of slivered blanched almonds and ground them in the food processor with 2 tablespoons brown sugar the day before. The reason? I couldn’t find sliced almonds in my pantry. SO, the day I made the cake I bought a nice big bag of sliced almonds, and when it was time to make the cake I melted the butter, added the brown sugar and sliced almonds, stirred them together…and saw the other almonds in the food processor bowl.

My solution?...Spread the sliced almond mixture on the bottom of the springform pan, put the cranberry rich batter over them and then sprinkle the streusel, made as directed, including cooling in the fridge…but with chopped slivered almonds…on top.

I’m here to tell you that this kind of senior moment is divine! This may be Sweetie’s all time favorite cake and those sliced almonds crusting the bottom are part of the appeal. I followed the recipe as written for the rest, with the exception of adding ½ teaspoon dried, ground orange peel to the flour mixture. I just love orange and cranberry flavors together! The cranberries make the cake…they add just the right amount of tartness to play up the richness of the cake and buttery almonds. I baked my cake the full hour and ten minutes, then another five minutes and the interior was still pretty soft. Turns out that it is perfect that way. The photo at the top of the post shows a slice of warm cake with the interior still pretty soft…we couldn’t wait for it to cool completely.

Make this cake! Just be sure to whip that egg sugar mixture the full five minutes, to pour in the butter in a THIN and SLOW stream, and to gently fold in the flour mixture and in parts as suggested, stopping as soon as the flour is incorporated. Taking the time to do it right yields a soft, sensuous cake with a nice crust on top. I wouldn’t be surprised if your cake disappears quickly, but if it doesn’t I can tell you that it is just as delicious three days later.

Click HERE to view other Cake Slice Bakers renditions of this delightful cake!

December’s Cake: Cranberry Cake
Makes one 10 inch round cake

Cranberry Cake(Recipe from Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman)

For the Streusel
1 cup sliced almonds
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp light brown sugar
(this is the mixture, uncooled, that I put on the bottom of the pan…see notes above)

2nd Streusel
1 cup blanched slivered almonds, chopped in a food processor with
2 tbsp light brown sugar, then mixed in a bowl with
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, and then all of it chilled until cold
(this is the mixture I used for streusel on top of the cake batter)

For the Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp dried ground orange peel
3 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 bag (12 ounces) fresh cranberries

Method – Streusel
Heat the oven to 300F. Grease a 10inch round springform pan.
Combine first Streusel mixture in a bowl and, once combined, sprinkle over bottom of greased springform pan. Set pan aside.

2nd Streusel
Combine the butter, chopped almonds and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Work the mixture between your fingers to form large crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Method – Cake
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and dried ground orange peel (if using) in a medium bowl. Combine the eggs and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium high speed until the mixture is lightened and increased in volume, about 5 minutes.

With the mixer on low speed, add the butter in a slow stream. Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for another 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.

Gently but thoroughly fold in the flour mixture, half a cup at a time. Then stir in the cranberries.
Scrape the butter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter. Bake the cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 1 hour to 1hour 10minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Release the sides of the pan and use a large spatula to slide the cake from the pan bottom onto the wire rack. Cool completely before cutting into wedges and serving.

Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Cake Slice November Cinnamon Pudding Cake

The Cake Slice bloggers have a real treat for November…a warm, sweet and spicy pudding cake with a big hit of cinnamon flavor and a yummy, gooey brown sugar sauce that magically shows up at the bottom of the cake pan after baking and makes a brilliant topping. Since I have been cutting back on sweets and want to really enjoy the ones I allow myself, I adapted the recipe slightly to include dried cranberries and some chopped walnuts because they go so well with cinnamon and the fall. Also I adjusted the fat content to make a slightly richer cake.

I enjoyed my serving immensely, but sent the rest (after Sweetie had enough) over to the intrepid volunteer firemen next door. They burn enough calories just playing basketball, to say nothing of all the fire drills they do, that a little cake will never show up on their thighs!

By the way, a pudding cake is a bit different from an iced or frosted cake. The cake gets spooned up into a serving dish and then you scoop up the sauce and drizzle it on top of the cake or put it next to the cake...you don't, in general, turn the cake out like an upside down cake because the sauce usually doesn't come out of the pan very easily. The baked pudding doesn't look like much, but there is hidden treasure below the cake...the gooey, sweet sauce!

If I made this again, I would bake it in a 9-inch square cake pan and for a shorter baking time (35 – 40 minutes and maybe even less than that) to keep a little more of the topping fluid instead of it being soaked into the cake so much. Beyond that, it was a wonderful cake, just perfect for the autumn. Try it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream as I did. Delicious!


November’s Cake: Cinnamon Pudding Cake
(Recipe from Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman {with slight adaptations})
Makes one 8-inch square pudding cake

For the Caramel Topping
1 cup plus 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
¾ cup water
2 tbsp unsalted butter
½ tsp salt

For the Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten or ¼ cup egg substitute
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup chopped walnuts

Method – Topping
Heat the oven to 350F. Spray the bottom and sides of an 8 inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the brown sugar, water, butter and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally, then set aside to cool.

Method – Cake
Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
Combine the butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, add a third of the flour mixture to the bowl. Add half of the milk and the vanilla. Add another third of the flour, followed by the remaining milk and the rest of the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Scrape the batter onto the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Pour the topping over the batter (the pan will be very full). Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake until set, 45 to 50 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, invert it onto a large rimmed serving platter and serve warm.

Let any leftover cake cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Welcome to Cake Slice and Pumpkin

I’ve been happily visiting Katie’s blog Apple and Spice for quite some time and always admired the creations she made as part of the baking group Cake Slice.

When she mentioned that they had finished the book they were working on and so could accept new members I jumped at the chance to belong. Although I loved the Daring Bakers when they were smaller, lately they seem to have grown bigger than I’m comfortable with…it is hard to be part of such a large community and still feel connected to the members. The Cake Slice isn’t tiny, but seems somehow cozier. The members have certainly been welcoming and I’ve discovered some new and wonderful blogs, too.

For my first month as a member the recipe of choice is Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Pound Cake from our current book Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman.

I baked the recipe just as written except that I baked it in four small loaf pans instead of one large one. I love the pumpkin flavor mixed with chocolate and walnuts. The spice is just assertive enough but doesn’t take over. Perhaps it was my technique, but my cakes were more like quick breads than pound cake in texture…fairly open crumbed. I can attest that not only are slices of this cake great with both coffee and tea, but when baked in smaller loaves they make very welcomed gifts.

We have something like 99 more recipes in this great book, so visit again next month to see what the Cake Slice bakers are baking.

Right now, before you forget, do visit some of my new baking buddies. The Cake Slice blogroll is found HERE.

This is an easy to make cake, although there are a few tips:
1) Make sure to really cream the butter and the sugar. Take your time.
2) Add the eggs one at a time, not all at once. I found I really needed to scrape the bowl after each one had been mostly incorporated.
3) The batter will look curdled right before you add the flour mixture. That’s OK. It turns out fine once the flour mixture goes in.

October’s Cake: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
(Recipe from Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman)
Makes one 9 by 5 inch loaf cake

Ingredients
1¾ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cloves
Pinch nutmeg
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Method
Heat the oven to 350F. Coat the inside of a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl.

Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.

With the mixer on medium low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the pumpkin puree and vanilla. Stir in the milk.

Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, ½ cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake the cake until it is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely.

Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic for up to 1 week.

Note: If baking in smaller pans, check the doneness after 30 -35 minutes.