Chocolate Toffee Crunch Cake

I wanted to bake today. I know I’ve been slacking on the whole bake-n-blog scene. I needed to try something new (but I didn’t want to go to the store for any ingredients).

My pantry isn’t super stocked at this time. I have the basics and cocoa. So chocolate cake it is.

But of course I don’t want just plain chocolate cake… I wanted toffee chocolate cake.

So this cake is mostly an oops. I was hoping for it to turn out more like an upside down cake with the gooey caramel top once it was flipped.

As you can see, it didn’t really turn out that way.

However, this cake was way too tasty to waste. Those little crunchy bits of toffee on top are better than Heath bar pieces.

This cake is delicious when served with some ice cream or (if you’re lucky) crème anglaise. 

And for the cheap (or lazy) fans, if you really want to try it with crème anglaise but don’t want work for it, melt some ice cream. I’m told it’s not an exact replacement, but it works for me.

You definitely need to make this. On my next attempt I might mix some honey or corn syrup with the caramel. I know the juices that are in the fruit on an upside down cake have to play some role on the actual caramel. I imagine that using some sort of liquid sugar with the brown sugar will help keep the sugar from crystallizing so much.

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Chocolate Toffee Crunch Cake

(recipe loosely based on Martha Stewart cake)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 cup cold water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In an 8 in baking pan (square or round), combine melted butter and brown sugar. Spread evenly on bottom of pan and set aside.
3. In medium mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients with a whisk. Add all wet ingredients at once and combine.
4. Carefully pour over the brown sugar mixture and spread evenly.
5. Bake 30-35 minutes or until done. Remove from heat and allow to cool in pan 8-10 minutes.
6. Invert onto cake plate, but leave the pan on the cake until it releases.
7. Remove pan and panic (or cry if that’s your thing). Pause. Try to come up with a plan. Grab a spoon or firm plastic pastry scraper and use it to scrape all the great gooey cake and crispy toffee bits onto the top of your cake.
8. Cut into 9 pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.

I always have a fan club. Sometimes it’s my friends and taste-testers. Sometimes it’s the strange people I call family. Most of the time, it’s just one of the kids…

 

Best Oops Cake Ever,

bleu