Blum’s Coffee Crunch Cake

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Blum’s Coffee Crunch Cake

  • Author: The Commish
  • Prep Time: 30 min
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 15 min
  • Total Time: 2 hr + 1 hour cooling + 1 hour refrigeration
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
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Ingredients

Scale

For the coffee cake:

  • 1 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 8 large egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

For the coffee crunch:

  • Canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda, sifted
  • 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup

For the frosting:

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

To prepare the cake:

  1. Position a rack in the lower third of oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F.
  2. Arrange a sheet of wax paper onto a flat surface. Sift flour, 3/4 cup of the sugar and the salt onto the wax paper. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and the speed set to low, beat the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the sugar until pale yellow. Add water and continue to beat until thickened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Set aside. Clean the bowl of the stand mixer.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar, and whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest.
  5. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the egg whites. Using a flexible rubber spatula, fold the egg mixtures together. Working in 1/3 portions, fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture until fully incorporated.
  6. Pour the batter into an ungreased round tube pan with a removable bottom. Using an offset spatula, level the top of the batter in the pan.
  7. Bake the cake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Inver the pan over a long necked bottle. Allow to cool for 45 minutes.
  8. Run an offset spatula along the sides of the cake to loosen from pan. Press on the bottom of the pan to release the cake. Tilt the cake and tap the bottom of the cake to loosen. Cover the top of the cake with a wire rack, and invert. Remove the bottom of the cake pan.

To prepare the coffee crunch topping:

  1. Oil a baking sheet. Set aside.
  2. Arrange a sheet of wax paper. Sift baking soda onto the wax paper. Set aside.
  3. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine coffee, sugar and corn syrup. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves and beings to boil. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 290 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
  4. Remove the mixture from heat, and carefully stir in the baking soda which will foam considerably. While still foaming, pour the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet. Do not spread. Allow to cool, 1 hour.
  5. Arrange large chunks of the coffee crunch between two sheets of wax paper. Use a mallet or rolling pin to crush the crunch into small pieces.

To prepare the whipped cream:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment, whisk the cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.

To assemble the cake:

  1. Using a large serrated knife, slice the cooled cake into three equal layers. Spread whipped cream between each layer, then spread the remaining whipped cream over the top and sides of cake. Refrigerate completely.
  2. When ready to serve, sprinkle a generous application of the coffee crunch on the top and sides of the cake.