The Snickers Cake/Mmm. Food. turns six... months!

6 months and 62 posts later, who thought I'd still be here, eating and baking and posting with a passion that I thought would run out, but has only increased exponentially?

This calls for a celebration. Celebrations of the chocolate and sugar variety. There haven't been many other kinds in my life, lately.

Now's a good time as any (may be a little bit more) to finally tell you how you play with sugar-chocolate-peanuts to make a cake that tastes like a Snickers bar that accidently melted into brownie batter. I don't know how many calories that sentence is loaded with, but everybody in the world makes exceptions for birthdays, no? Even half-birthdays. So true.

At the risk of being judged for making things that call for a kilo of butter in them, I'm going to put it up any way. Bookmark it for an occasion; good or bad. Halve the recipe and share with ten good people. Have a slice in lieu of meal. Make it happen. You will either thank me or send me an exasperated e-mail. Again.

Incidentally, I made this cake for a fitness freak's birthday. I'm sure I was hated.

Since I make a lot of birthday cakes I don't get to cut and taste-test, I pour some of the batter into a cupcake liner, just so I know that it is bonafide yumminess and not set myself up for potential embarrassment.

Oh, and this recipe has been floating around for ages. The chances of it flopping are slim to none... it's a Dorie Greenspan recipe. Now you know. Just remember not to overbake the brownie base (dry-crusty brownies are blech) and test the caramel a million times (utmost attention, people, pay  utmost attention). I've added as many photos as I could click with burnt fingers. Hope that helps.

Caramel Topped Brownie Cake/The Snickers Cake!

Ingredients:

For the brownie base:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
140 g (5 oz) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
3 tbsp. light corn syrup
½ tsp. vanilla

For the caramel peanut topping:

2 cups white sugar
½ cup water
1½ tbsp. light corn syrup
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup honey roasted peanuts

Directions:

For the brownie cake:

Preheat the oven to 200 C or 350 F. Grease and flour an 8 inch pan.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Over a double-boiler/bain marie (a pot over a pan of simmering water), melt butter and chocolate together. Stop when it melts, heating it too much would cause the butter to turn into ghee.



I cheated and microwaved the butter-sugar. You have your work cut out for
you, so every shortcut helps!



In a large bowl, whisk the sugars (powdered slightly) and eggs until well-blended. Beat in the sugar and corn syrup.

Beat in the butter-chocolate mix and combine.



Shiny-shiny batter!



Fold in the dry ingredients until just comvined. Pour the batter into the pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre is just about clean (not too dry!)

 Take the cake out and let it cool at room temperature for 15 minute. Turn it out onto a serving platter. Let it cool completely.

Cupcakes take way lesser time.

Don't freak out if there's a huge crater in the middle... it's supposed to happen, a natural vessel for the gooey caramelly goodness. Wrap a strip of aluminium foil around the cake so that the caramel can be held within the cake.

Topping:

Combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in a thick-bottomed vessel, stirring just once to combine the ingredients. Place the pan over medium-high heat. DO NOT STIR.

The liquid will turn into caramel in 5-10 minutes, depending on the heat, saucepan size, etc. Do not leave the stove, the transition takes seconds.



The amber at 12 o clock is what you're looking/hoping for.

 Testing the caramel on a white plate helps you decide when it's just done. It should be an amber colour... don't be too worried, a light-yellow is NOT good, and dark brown is just as bad.

Take it off the heat. Add in the cream and butter. IT WILL SPLATTER, so be wary. You can stir the caramel. Stir in the peanuts.

Pour the caramel over the cake. Let it set for around 20 minutes before serving. Remove the foil strip.

 I'm guessing it'll stay for a whole day at room temperature.

You can open a Snickers bar and see if I haven't convinced you yet.

You'll have extra caramel, which is best had over a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream. Just make sure it's before midnight, so the birthday excuse holds.